Forty Years of the Windermere Cup: a Seattle Original on the World Stage

By Eric Cohen

Every spring, as Seattle sheds the gray skies and the Cascades sparkle over Lake Washington, the city's rowing community and boating enthusiasts turn their attention to the Montlake Cut. On the first Saturday in May, more than just a race unfolds — it's the Windermere Cup Rowing Regatta. What began as a bold idea in 1987 has evolved into one of the world's premier celebrations of the sport. In 2026, the Windermere Cup will mark its 40th season — four decades of world-class competition, international friendship, and Seattle's deep connection to its waterways.

From Cold War Challenger to Seattle Tradition

The Windermere Cup began in 1987, but the roots stretch further back. Rowing became part of Seattle's Opening Day of Boating Season — a long-standing tradition that marks the start of spring on the water — in 1970, when the Seattle Yacht Club (SYC) and University of Washington men's rowing coach Dick Erickson collaborated to add collegiate races to the festivities.

Fast-forward to 1987, when Erickson, along with women's head coach Bob Ernst, joined Windermere Real Estate founder John Jacobi to re-imagine the event on an even larger scale: bring the world's best crews to Seattle to race against Washington on the Montlake Cut.

Their vision became reality in spectacular fashion. In 1987, the men's and women's National Teams of the Soviet Union arrived in Seattle — one of the only U.S.–Soviet athletic competitions on American soil in a quarter century. Tens of thousands lined the log boom and the Cut as the crews thundered down the course. Though the Soviet crews won convincingly, the event's spirit — and the sight of athletes exchanging jerseys and rowing back through the Cut together — set the tone for decades to come.

That origin story of Cold War tension turned into international sportsmanship is emblematic of what the Windermere Cup has become: not simply a race, but a global gathering celebrating athletic excellence and a community coming together in one of the greatest settings in sport.

"It really is what we've always tried to do," said Jill Jacobi Wood, co-President of Windermere. "Bring real teams here to compete at the highest level. The fun is getting to know these athletes and coaches… I love the camaraderie, and how often friendships are formed… we've even had athletes end up working for our company. It is incredibly gratifying, and it is so amazing for the UW."

A Stage for World-Class Rowing

Over four decades, the Windermere Cup has hosted a wide array of international competitors. Teams from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, China, Germany, and many more have come to challenge the Huskies, often bringing Olympic-level talent to Montlake's 2,000-meter course and contributing to the regatta's reputation as one of rowing's premier international showcases.

On their home course and buoyed by tens of thousands of fans, Washington crews have often held their own, winning the feature races more often than not. As of 2025, UW men have captured the Cup in 29 of 38 races, while the women have won 28 of 38 — remarkable consistency against world-class opposition.

Some editions have become favorites in Husky lore. New Zealand's storied program has provided some of the most compelling matchups. In 2015, the New Zealand men's team returned to win the Cup after earlier appearances in 1989 and 1999, but in 2025 the Huskies prevailed over the Kiwis in both the men's and women's events. "It was awesome," said Washington 4-seat Zola Kemp, a New Zealand native going head-to-head against her own National Team. "It's definitely something I have never experienced before, and it was so cool lining up against these amazing women that I've looked up to so much."

The closest race on the men's side came in 2018, a head-to-head battle down the course on a perfect Seattle day against Oxford-Brookes, the world-renowned university located in Oxford, England, and the reigning British Collegiate Champions that year. A back-and-forth race that never saw the crews separated by more than a half-length, the Huskies prevailed in front of a packed Montlake Cut by about two seats. "The crowd was just epic," said Michael Callahan. "Entering the Cut, it sounded like a goal-line stand inside Husky Stadium." Harry Brightmore, cox for Oxford-Brookes, added, "When we were about 300 meters from the line, we couldn't hear anything. It was an incredible experience."

On the women's side, several races have come down to the wire. Victories against Brown, Princeton, and Yale highlighted three separate high-end collegiate Windermere Cups in the '90s, the '99 battle against Brown featuring the top two crews in the nation. More recently, victories over National Teams from Germany (2019), Australia (2023), and Italy (2024) — along with the win over New Zealand last year — highlight the depth of the program and the reach of this one-of-a-kind regatta. "The atmosphere was electric," said Coach Yaz Farooq after the victory last year. "Of course, Husky Nation showed up. You see fans from all of the different colleges and clubs, and it really makes you feel the strength of this community, the support of Windermere, and the influence this regatta has in growing the sport of rowing."

In 2026, the tradition continues with a powerhouse field:

Women: Canada and Great Britain (2024 Olympic silver and bronze medalists)
Men: Great Britain (2024 Olympic gold medalists) and Northeastern University (a Huskies-versus-Huskies showdown)

A lineup true to the regatta's founding vision: bring the best in the world to Seattle.

The Seattle Yacht Club's Enduring Role

The Seattle Yacht Club, which began the Opening Day boating tradition more than a century ago, has been crucial to the event's evolution. Boat parades first graced Elliott Bay in the late 19th century, and after the opening of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1917, the parade and accompanying festivities found their current home on the Cut.

SYC volunteers and members play essential roles each year, managing logistics, hosting participants, and ensuring the Opening Day festivities run smoothly. Their collaboration with the University of Washington — and, since 1987, Windermere Real Estate — has transformed a local boating celebration into a world-class athletic spectacle. "The Seattle Yacht Club has been a pillar of this regatta since its inception," said Callahan. "With the 40th this year… I am looking forward to seeing the log boom once again packed side by side the entire length of the first 1,500 meters. I've been to many of the top regattas in the world, and I can tell you — nothing like this exists anywhere else."

Looking Forward: The 40th Windermere Cup

As Windermere Cup organizers and the Seattle community prepare for the 40th regatta, there's a palpable sense of pride in how far the event has come. A cornerstone of Seattle's spring calendar, the Windermere Cup is now a full weekend featuring the Party on the Cut and the 500m Twilight Sprints on Friday night, with the marquee races on Saturday. "The Twilight Sprints have proven that anything can happen," said Coach Farooq. "High rates, high speeds, millisecond finishes… and yes, some epic crabs. It's not for the faint of heart — but it is pure entertainment."

"All of it together… it's 100% about the community," continued Jacobi Wood. "It's family-friendly, free, wholesome fun, and full of hometown Husky pride. But I also love being able to show off Seattle. The Montlake Cut itself is so unique — especially packed with fans. It is a beautiful part of what is truly a beautiful city. Being able to showcase all of it… I want our community to be proud of what we have here."

Forty years in, the Windermere Cup remains what it has always been: a uniquely Seattle blend of competition, camaraderie, and celebration — and one of the greatest settings in sport.

This story originally appeared in the Spring, 2026, edition of SWEEP, the Washington rowing program's magazine. Read the entire current issue of SWEEP here.

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