The traditional start to the Washington rowing season comes this Saturday, March 18, as the UW hosts the 122nd annual Class Day Regatta on Montlake Cut.
 
Fans are encouraged to line the Cut to watch the races. For those unable to make it in person, however, there will be a live video feed (check back later here, or on the men's or women's schedule pages for a link).
 
Class Day events are centered around the main men's and women's races, which pit an eight-oared crew each of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors against each other in a standard, 2,000-meter race that ends in the Montlake Cut.
 
In 2022, the senior men and the junior women won the feature races, so that same group of women will return to defend their title, while the most recent winners on the men's side have moved on.
 
This Saturday's schedule includes four races: men's and women's freshman/varsity challenge races, followed by the George M. Varnell Men's Eight and The Seattle Times Women's Eight.
 
10:00 a.m. PT – Men's Freshman/Varsity Challenge
10:15 a.m. PT – Women's Freshman/Varsity Challenge
10:30 a.m. PT – George M. Varnell Men's Eight
10:45 a.m. PT – The Seattle Times Women's Eight
 
Along with the live video stream, fans can follow live results at HereNow.com.
 
Class Day was first held in 1901 for the men and in 1907 for the women (after a long period of dormancy, the women's races returned in 1976). 
 
In recent years, both teams had seen a streak of juniors winning one year, then again the following, as seniors, and that pattern repeating. That cycle had held for the last 11 men's races and the last 10 women's (with the 2020 cancellation notwithstanding).
 
Following Class Day, the UW men will travel to Chula Vista, Calif., for a spring break camp, where they'll take on UC San Diego in a relatively informal dual regatta on Tue., March 21. The women will host the Husky Open the following Saturday, March 25.