SEATTLE - The Windermere Cup returns to the Montlake Cut for the 31^st time this Saturday, May 6, with races starting at 10:20 a.m. PT. The annual spring rowing event is held in conjunction with the Seattle Yacht Club's Opening Day parade, which signals the beginning of boating season in Seattle.

Washington Rowing will play host to the Shanghai men's and women's High-Performance Rowing teams from China in the feature race this Saturday. The regatta will air on a tape-delayed basis on the Pac-12 Network.

"The Windermere Cup is a touchstone for our company, our family of offices and agents, and the University of Washington," said OB Jacobi, president of Windermere Real Estate. "Not only is this an international sporting event, it's a celebration of camaraderie, teamwork, and community, and a truly great tradition that we are honored to be a part of."

"China is a country that has some of the best athletes in the world," said Washington Rowing men's head coach Michael Callahan. "Competing against a high caliber team like this will certainly be a big test for our crews."

This will mark the third time that a team from China has traveled west to compete in the Windermere Cup. Their first appearance came 27 years ago when the People's Republic of China took home the Windermere Cup ahead of Navy, Washington and Cambridge. Twelve years later the Chinese men's rowing team returned for the 2002 Windermere Cup.

China will bring boats made up of the Shanghai Province's best rowers, who are currently training to compete in the upcoming Chinese National Games, regarded as one of the most prestigious rowing competitions in the world. A victory in the China Games for the Shanghai Province would provide financial stability for the entire team and their families for a lifetime. The Shanghai men's and women's teams competed in many international regattas in 2012 and most recently rowed in the 2016 Olympic cycles.

WINDERMERE CUT PARTY – NEW IN 2017
Windermere Real Estate will kick off Windermere Cup weekend with a Cinco de Mayo celebration on the Montlake Cut, Friday, May 5, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. PT. It will feature live music from Spike and the Impalers, food trucks, a beer garden, and more. Tickets must be purchased online in advance at http://windermerecutparty.brownpapertickets.com/

WINDERMERE CUP APP – NEW IN 2017
For the first time ever, the Windermere Cup will feature an app that includes access to the schedule, team information, maps, and live race results for each race.  Download the free app here.

MEDIA CUP
On Tuesday, May 2, at 11:00 a.m. Seattle's local television and radio stations will battle it out along the Montlake cut for the seventh annual Windermere Cup - Media Cup crew races. The field consists of teams from KOMO TV, KING TV, KIRO TV, Q13 TV and CSB Radio.
 
The KOMO team has taken home the Media Cup trophy five straight years. The winning team receives a $500 donation from Windermere Real Estate to go to their non-profit organization of choice.
 
WHERE TO WATCH THE RACES
Saturday's races begin at 10:20 a.m. Paid parking is available at the University of Washington. Fans are invited and encouraged to watch the races, free of charge, along the Montlake Cut. For more information, maps, and parking visit http://windermerecup.withwre.com/directions-parking/

AWARDS CEREMONIES
Award ceremonies will take place following the conclusion of Windermere Cup races AT THE FINISH LINE on the north side of the Cut for the Windermere and Cascade Cups. The award ceremony for Masters, Collegiate, and Junior's races will take place on the same stage at 1:30 p.m. PT.

Results of the races are posted, in real time, at HereNow.com. You can also follow via Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter at @UW_Rowing and @WindermereCup
 
31st ANNUAL WINDERMERE CUP RACE SCHEDULE

Windermere Cup History & Information 
The Windermere Cup rowing regatta got its start 31 years ago when Windermere Real Estate founder, John Jacobi, joined up with the University of Washington to create the annual rowing event. They wanted to bring the best team in the world to Seattle's Montlake Cut, which at the time was the Soviet Union. After that, the precedent was set for what has become one of the world's premier rowing events, and certainly a staple of Seattle's rowing community. For more information please visit WindermereCup.com.