The University of Washington, in conjunction with Windermere Real Estate and the Seattle Yacht Club, will host the 26th annual Windemere Cup Saturday on the Montlake Cut. Cup races will get underway at 10:20 a.m. with the featured events scheduled to start at approximately 11:05 a.m.
This year, as in every year, the Huskies will play host to international crews. The UW men will face off against the Argentina national team, as well as Oregon State and the University of Virginia,.
The UW women will face Argentina and Gonzaga. Otago, a university crew from New Zealand, will contest Washington in the Cascade Cup.
Argentina is the 21st national team to race against UW and the first since Brazil in 2009. Argentina’s entry in the Windermere Cup marks the second appearance by a South American crew in the event, and the first from a Spanish-speaking nation.
The Argentines are coming off a season in which the program racked up eight medals at the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, which tied the USA for most overall. In the men’s eight race, the Argentines finished with a bronze medal behind the USA and Canada.
The Husky men and women have won five consecutive Windermere Cup titles, including a thorough drubbing of Cambridge, Stanford and Oklahoma last year. Overall, UW has won 19 of the 25 Windermere Cups.
The Windermere Cup races are attended annually by thousands of spectators, both on land and in boats along Montlake Cut and Lake Washington. The featured races, sponsored by Windermere Real Estate, Inc. began in 1987.
The UW men, defending national champions, are currently ranked No. 1 in the country by USRowing. The Huskies rose to the top of the USRowing poll after sweeping Brown University earlier this year.
UW men, coached by Michael Callahan, are undefeated this season, having won every race by open water, including a sweep of arch-rival California at Redwood Shores, CA., two weeks ago.
The Washington women, coached by Bob Ernst, are ranked sixth nationally, having dropped from second after losing to California.
Spectators are encouraged to view the races from the shores of the Montlake Cut. This is a free community event with parking available at surrounding University of Washington lots.
Parking in the large Montlake lot (E-1) is $7. The Montlake Bridge will be closed to traffic from 9:40 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The bridge will be raised and remain open during the boat parade.
Windermere Cup Winners
| Year | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Washington 5:43.2 | Stanford 5:55.7 | Cambridge 6:02.5 |
| 2010 | Washington 5:39.5 | Syracuse 5:49.3 | Oxford 5:51.5 |
| 2009 | Washington 5:39.5 | Oregon State 5:52.1 | Brazil 5:59.7 |
| 2008 | Washington 5:49.41 | Poland 5:46.48 | Navy 6:00.59 |
| 2007 | Washington 5:58.89 | Purdue 6:09.09 | Univ. Waikato 6:13.86 |
| 2006 | Russia 6:04.72 | Washington 6:06.72 | Michigan 6:15.34 |
| 2005 | Washington 5:41.70 | Czech Republic 5:44.50 | Cornell 5:49.72 |
| 2004 | Washington 5:43.14 | Navy 5:49.83 | Italy 6:03.36 |
| 2003 | Washington 5:54.87 | Northeastern 6:00.36 | Poland 6:05.47 |
| 2002 | Washington 5:47.90 | Stanford 6:01.36 | China 6:36.79 |
| 2001 | Croatia 5:31.75 | Univ. Victoria 5:36.37 | Washington 5:40.21 |
| 2000 | Washington 5:42.68 | Navy 5:51.46 | Egypt 6:03.72 |
| 1999 | Washington 4:35.13 | New Zealand 4:37.65 | None |
| 1998 | Washington 5:57.40 | Nottinghamshire 6:03.6 | None |
| 1997 | Washington 5:52.78 | Australia 5:59.70 | None |
| 1996 | Washington 5:35.27 | Yale 5:38.0 | Russia 5:44.06 |
| 1995 | Washington 5:58.18 | South Africa 6:10.65 | None |
| 1994 | Washington 6:05.32 | Dutch Nat. Team 6:09.6 | Stanford 6:24.29 |
| 1993 | Washington 5:45.90 | Dartmouth 5:47.72 | Humbolt (Ger.) 5:56.79 |
| 1992 | Washington 5:48.67 | Lithuania 6:01.48 | Cambridge 6:07.66 |
| 1991 | Washington 5:42.27 | Cornell 5:42.75 | Czechoslovakia 5:44.77 |
| 1990 | China 5:56.87 | Navy 5:57.16 | Washington 5:57.29 |
| 1989 | Italy 6:13.01 | Washington 6:16.89 | New Zealand 6:18.62 |
| 1988 | Australia 6:04.14 | Washington 6:05.61 | Princeton 6:08.41 |
| 1987 | Soviet Union 5:41.16 | Washington 5:56.23 | None |