It's very early in the morning but an eager rower from the Dolphin Club (San Francisco) is ready to drive North over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito to row a double in the Open Water Regatta.

We start with this photo because it's the earliest, but it also symbolizes the importance of the role of the network of rowing clubs that make our sport social as well as physical [9023].

A few of the traditional boats that were in the Regatta.

To the left, Tim Huebner from the Santa Cruz Rowing Club heads out to the Point Diablo start [0037].

Above [0035]

and to the left [0058] are double teams from Fort Bragg.

To the right we see Doug Gilmour in one of his beautiful wooden, sliding seat dories at the start [0057].

About 60 minutes later Kathy Defemrey and Ariel Gilbert round the buoy off Bleveder Point on the way to Cone Rock and then the finish [9034].

This pair, from the Dolphin Club, were the Winners of the mixed doubles [9037].

Back to doubles

The start of the long (Pt. Diablo) course (all courses start near the center of Sausalito, just off from the sea lion statue). Angel Island is in the background [9029].

On the right, another double team from the Dolphin Club, Corrina Witt and Rachel Perry [9042].

Great view of Sausalito in the background, with the Spinnaker Restauant on the left edge.

Below, Ellen Braithwaite and Steve Schaffran power through the lap from the "Green 3" buoy to Cone Rock. Old Town Sausalito in the background [9043].

Peter Olrich and Donald Webber-Plank, the fastest boat in the Point Diablo (long) course [0065].

This is a view of the "Green 3" buoy from the the opposite direction and you can see how close it is to the tip of Belvedere.

Men's singles Mass 24 shells passing Point Stuart (Angel Island) [0068].

The singles

To the left are Aero shells lined up at the start of the Strawberry Point (medium length) course. OWRC's Carolyn Novosel is in the foreground [0055].

The finish

Flyweight rower Cindi Laraia who flew in the night before from some far off place [0095].

Carolyn Novosel at the finish line [0108].

Doug Gilmour at the finish [0109].

After the race, back at the boat house,
food, awards, and friendship:

David Lay (speaker phone) gives one of his water colors to Ellen as an award for planning and organizing the Regatta. Gordie looks on from above [0129].

Winners in the women's double shells, Kathryn Furano and Diane Davis, from Berkeley and the South End Club [9063].

Gordie Nash expounds on the prowess of the men's 24 Point Diablo course rowers:
Tom Kelly, David Lay, Robert Laombardi, Brian Kippen, Tom McInerney, Randy Hixon, and Kenny Robinson [9057].

The South End Gang with Diane Davis, this year's winner of the Gordie Nash/ Shirwin Smith Trophy awarded to someone who promotes the sport of open water rowing [9066].