For now, consider all information on this page to be preliminary, shared with the intention of receiving feedback. Based on the information we have received so far, it seems like March 30 is preferred over April 13. Both for 2025 and into the future, it seems better to hold this regatta the same weekend as the San Diego Crew Classic than the same weekend as the Covered Bridge Regatta and Mill Bay Regatta. The goals, logistics, audience, and venue all seem to favor a 1,000 m course.
Goals
Since this regatta is quite early in the season, it does not necessarily need to mimic the true racing distance of 2,000 m. The racers are better served getting practice warming up, queuing up before the start, entering the starting area, and completing a race. With a shorter distance, they can race multiple times in a day and get more practice.
Logistics
This regatta will include masters and juniors, so a 1,000 m course needs to be in play in some form. This will be the first time holding a USRowing sanctioned regatta on this lake and it makes sense to keep things simple. A shorter course is easier to set up, easier to communicate and see from one end to the other, there can be more races in less time, and the referees following the race can return to the start line between races more quickly.
Audience
As mentioned, this race will have masters divisions and junior divisions, but otherwise our event list will be very similar to the Burton Beach Invitational (now Swiftwater Sprints), with emphasis placed on sculling, perhaps exclusively. There has been considerable interest among the northwest coaches to have an event targeted to the middle school age, and we are happy to make that happen. Most of our rowers are U15 and U16. We will also make our coastal boats available to row and we will have a masters coastal category, so competitors need not bring their own boat. We hope that makes it very easy for Canadians to come across on the M/V Coho. Let us know you are coming and we will figure out a way to get you to Lake Sutherland (It's about 25 km/22 minutes west of Port Angeles).
Venue
Although the lake can accommodate a 2,000 m course (see bottom of page), the lake is surrounded by residential cabins and the only public viewing location is at the WDFW boat ramp. By using only the wide, western portion of the lake, the course can be brought closer to the viewing area with better sightlines over the majority of the course.
Goals
Since this regatta is quite early in the season, it does not necessarily need to mimic the true racing distance of 2,000 m. The racers are better served getting practice warming up, queuing up before the start, entering the starting area, and completing a race. With a shorter distance, they can race multiple times in a day and get more practice.
Logistics
This regatta will include masters and juniors, so a 1,000 m course needs to be in play in some form. This will be the first time holding a USRowing sanctioned regatta on this lake and it makes sense to keep things simple. A shorter course is easier to set up, easier to communicate and see from one end to the other, there can be more races in less time, and the referees following the race can return to the start line between races more quickly.
Audience
As mentioned, this race will have masters divisions and junior divisions, but otherwise our event list will be very similar to the Burton Beach Invitational (now Swiftwater Sprints), with emphasis placed on sculling, perhaps exclusively. There has been considerable interest among the northwest coaches to have an event targeted to the middle school age, and we are happy to make that happen. Most of our rowers are U15 and U16. We will also make our coastal boats available to row and we will have a masters coastal category, so competitors need not bring their own boat. We hope that makes it very easy for Canadians to come across on the M/V Coho. Let us know you are coming and we will figure out a way to get you to Lake Sutherland (It's about 25 km/22 minutes west of Port Angeles).
Venue
Although the lake can accommodate a 2,000 m course (see bottom of page), the lake is surrounded by residential cabins and the only public viewing location is at the WDFW boat ramp. By using only the wide, western portion of the lake, the course can be brought closer to the viewing area with better sightlines over the majority of the course.
Here is the 1,000 m course.
The picture below shows the WDFW lot from the launching dock. The existing dock is too high to launch rowing shells from, so we will have a floating dock tied to the left of the dock in this picture. The boat ramp will need to remain usable to the public during the regatta. Trailer parking and spectator parking will be on the grassy area between the houses and the roadway.
Most teams and spectators would be in the WDFW-owned boat ramp lot. Adventure Passes are required.
Here is the view from the location marked "Finish Line Referees," looking straight across the lake.
Looking to 2026 and beyond
Lake Sutherland is long enough to contain a 2,000 m racecourse. As the greater rowing community becomes familiar with the lake, we would certainly entertain hosting a 2,000 m race. Many of the cabins surrounding the lake are available as vacation rentals in early spring. It seems like an annual race held on the same weekend as the San Diego Crew Classic each year would work well for youth and masters rowers on Vancouver Island and Washington.
