SEATTLE – The No. 2-ranked Washington men's rowing team earned its 28^th Windermere Cup, beating crews from the Italian National Team and Wisconsin in the 38^th annual Windermere Cup / Opening Day Regatta Saturday on Montlake Cut.
 
A huge crowd packed the Cut, rewarded by fair weather and a long slate of masters, juniors and collegiate races. Washington wrapped up its home schedule with wins in all four men's collegiate races.
 
In the final race of the morning, the Huskies' varsity eight raced a crew from Italy, made up of athletes with under-23-level or higher international experience, and the varsity eight from Wisconsin. 
 
The Huskies, won the race win a time 5:45.830, roughly two lengths of open water ahead of the Italian eight, which crossed in 5:55.041. Wisconsin was another five seconds back, crossing in 6:00.351.
 
"Watching this since I was a little kid, it's kind of crazy having this one last experience now," said UW varsity stroke Max Heid, who attended Seattle Prep, visible up the hill from the Montlake Cut finish line, "especially in that stroke seat of that varsity eight the last time down the course. It was thrilling. Just the sound of everyone going down to the end there. This is why I wanted to come here.
 
"No other program in the world do You have a natural amphitheater looking down on your racing," he added.
 
"What a crowd," exclaimed UW men's head coach Michael Callahan. "It's one of the biggest crowds I've seen on land for a long time. I was impressed by the turnout today. Seattle came out for this.
 
"Having 'The Boys in the Boat actors,' there brought some extra publicity on for the team the whole year," he continued, "but it's awesome to have Seattle here just supporting the team so well. Rowtown, USA … it's awesome."
 
Six cast members from the film, "The Boys In The Boat," based on the story of the UW's 1936 men's crew that won gold at the 1936 Olympic Games, and based on the blockbuster book by Daniel James Brown, were on hand for the races. 
 
In addition to the win in the Windermere Cup, Washington earned the Erickson Cascade Cup with a win in the second varsity eight race, beating Wisconsin in a time of 5:51.415. 
 
Washington also won the third varsity eight/freshman eight race, with the Huskies' third varsity crew beating the freshmen, as well as a crew from Western Washington University. The Huskies also had three entries in the varsity four race, finishing one-two-three ahead of a club crew from Seattle University. 
 
The Huskies will next compete at the final Pac-12 Championships, two weeks from Sunday at Gold River near Sacramento. Another two weeks later, they'll race that IRA National Championship Regatta at Mercer Lake in New Jersey.
 
WASHINGTON MEN'S LINEUPS
 
Varsity Eight (Windermere Cup)
Shell: Brett Reisinger '98
Cox: Nikita Jacobs
Stroke: Max Heid
7: Archie Drummond
6: Jonathan Wang-Norderud
5: Giuseppe Bellomo
4: Sam Ford
3: Cameron Tasker
2: Harry Fitzpatrick
Bow: Marius Bjørn-Hansen Ahlsand
 
Second Varsity Eight (Erickson Cascade Cup)
Shell: ShoedaWg
Cox: Kieran Joyce
Stroke: Darcy McCluskey
7: Ethan Blight
6: Marc Tennesen
5: Povilas Juskevicius
4: Ben Shortt
3: Lyle Donovan
2: Ryan Smith
Bow: Blake Vogel
 
Third Varsity Eight (Purple)
Shell: John Nordstrom
Cox: Casey Neumann
Stroke: Gus Altucher
7: Blake Bradshaw
6: Quinn Hall
5: Ethan Walsh
4: Parker Raines
3: Louis Gallia IV
2.: Ryan Martin
Bow: Giulio Acernese
 
Freshman Eight (Gold)
Shell: Grand Challenger
Cox: Chas Knittel
Stroke: Hector Guimet
7: Billy Osborne
6: Klas Ole Lass
5: Rory McDonnell
4: Mason Boulter
3: Brady Shanle
2: Ryan O'Connor
Bow: Dimitri Chamitoff
 
Varsity Four Purple
Shell: Lou Gellermann
Cox: Maggie Gibbons
Stroke: Connor Shoup
3: Finn Griskauskas
2: Oliver Black
Bow: Luke Collins
 
Varsity Four Gold
Shell: George Pocock
Cox: Tess Kadian
Stroke: Lucas Woodruff
3: Matteo Belgeri
2: Henry Ramstad
Bow: Caleb Cowles
 
Varsity Four Hi-Viz
Shell: Clipper Too
Cox: Lilly Kurtz
Stroke: Alex Ware
3: Anton Boudzko
2: Carter Yagle
Bow: Addison Smee