The No. 1-ranked Washington men’s rowing team earned a dramatic, come-from-behind victory in the varsity eight race to win its third straight Benderson Cup, Saturday at Nathan Benderson Park. Washington topped a field of six top-10 programs to win the Cup, tying with No. 2 Harvard on points, but winning the tiebreaker based on the varsity eight finish.
The No. 4-ranked Washington women’s rowing team saw all seven of its crews earn spots in grand finals, on day one of the San Diego Crew Classic, Saturday morning on Mission Bay. Those seven will all race for trophies on Sunday.
The No. 1-ranked Washington men’s rowing team opened the 2026 season by earning the Bolles Cup and the Paup Cup with wins over No. 2 Harvard and No. 8 Stanford, on day one of the Sarasota 2K at Nathan Benderson Park.
The Washington women’s rowing team heads south to the San Diego Crew Classic this Saturday and Sunday, March 28-29. Washington, ranked No. 5 in the most recent Pocock CRCA poll, will send a total of seven crews to race on Mission Bay.
The No. 1-ranked Washington men’s rowing team opens its competitive season this Friday and Saturday in Sarasota, Fla. On Friday, UW will race No. 2 Harvard and No. 8 Stanford, for the Bolles Cup and Paup Cup, respectively. On Saturday, those three programs will join three more and compete for the Benderson Cup.
The freshmen women and senior men both posted top-10 Montlake Cut times en route to wins in their respective Class Day races Saturday on Montlake Cut. The 125th annual Class Day Regatta marked the start of the spring season for the UW men’s and women’s rowing teams, who will both begin the season in earnest next weekend.
The start of each new UW rowing season is marked by the annual Class Day Regatta, which will be held this Saturday, March 21, on Montlake Cut. With each new spring, the Washington women’s rowing team is bolstered by a group of newcomers.
Class Day has been a key component to the Washington Rowing program since 1901 – a century and a quarter ago – and the 2026 version is upon us this Saturday, March 21. Each year, the UW men’s team officially introduces its new class of freshmen in conjuction with Class Day, as it’s a milestone that indicates that each of those individuals has made the team.
The traditional start to the Washington rowing season comes this Saturday, March 21, as the UW hosts the 125th annual Class Day Regatta on Montlake Cut. Fans are encouraged to line the Cut to watch the races.
Washington Rowing, along with Windermere Real Estate, welcomes men’s and women’s crews from the Great Britain National Team, the women’s Canadian National Team and the Northeastern University men’s team for the 40th annual Windermere Cup, scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026.