Uncooperative weather caused problems for the 49th annual Brentwood Regatta at the end of April, but organizers found a way to make it work, and the hosts were once again the top school in the final standings.
“The wind played into our regular schedule a little bit, but we managed to get everybody racing,” regatta chairperson Debbie Sage said.
The solution was to go to timed finals rather than heats.
“That allowed everybody who entered the regatta to race in the races they entered in,” Sage said. “We didn’t lose any races.”
It has been several years, Sage noted, since organizers haven’t had to resort to plan B.
“We’re hoping someday Mother Nature lets us have a full regatta,” Sage said, suggesting that next year’s 50th annual event would be a good time for that to happen.
Brentwood finished fourth in the overall aggregate standings, and was the top school team with 418 points. Vic City Rowing Club was first overall with 657 points, followed by Bainbridge Island Rowing (554) and Green Lake Rowing Club (546).
Brentwood also placed second in the junior boys, junior girls and junior aggregate standings, winning silver medals in the junior novice women’s eight, junior women’s lightweight eight and junior men’s eight, as well as bronze medals in the senior school women’s and men’s eights.
“The juniors helped us out with the point total,” Sage said. “We’ve got a good group of juniors. They love being out on the water; they’re very competitive. It’s a strong program with large numbers.”
Shawnigan Lake School finished sixth in the overall aggregate, taking gold in the junior women’s lightweight eight, silver in the senior women’s lightweight eight, school women’s eight and senior men’s JV quad, and bronze in the junior women’s eight.
The Maple Bay Rowing Club finished 18th in the overall aggregate standings, with silver medals in the junior women’s novice quad and senior women’s JV quad.
All three local teams will be competing at the Shawnigan Regatta this weekend.
