Like many women who grew up before Title IX, Kathy Frederick spent her young life studying ballet. When, at 42, she learned to row it felt like dancing with partners and she was immediately hooked. Just a few years later in 1993, the loss of a dear friend prompted Kathy to host a fundraising event on the Willamette River. From those modest beginnings Row for the Cure was born.

In our first-ever fan feature episode, Koen Elbers talks exuberantly about rowing in the Netherlands, parties with Alkmaar’s sister city and club, long distance events, rowing tours, and generally finding enjoyment in your rowing life beyond competition.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Maurice Scott was just a kid when he noticed that no one else looked like him at regattas on the Schuylkill River. Today he’s a lightweight sculler with championship titles, multiple corporate sponsors, and a personal mission to be a face of positive change in the world of rowing.

As a 5’1, 108lb college freshman, Rachel Le Mieux was literally picked up and placed in a coxswain seat. Today she’s the head coach of Martha’s Moms, a masters women’s team in Seattle, WA. She’s also a USRowing referee, FISA umpire, and Chair of the USRowing safety committee.

Coastal rowing is coming to the Olympics in 2028. To get ready, USRowing is developing a framework to adopt and embrace coastal rowing. Plus coastal just looks plain fun and offers up exciting opportunities for new and experienced rowers. We sat down with four coastal rowers and coaches to talk wetsuits in winter, beach sprints, buoy turns, boat design, green waves, and running in the sand.

We’ve begun a semi-regular series spotlighting clubs around the world. On this week’s episode we’re heading South to spotlight Nassau Rowing Club in The Bahamas. With plenty of sunshine, gorgeous water, and social distancing measures, NRC offers learn to row, juniors, collegiate, and masters programs. We admit we’re pretty jealous… and curious.

DR. Susannah Cass is an environmental scientist interested in plants and other wildlife whose love of “messing about in boats” has brought her on adventures crossing seas and oceans. Susannah learned to row at university and hasn't looked back, and is now looking for new ways to link her love of boats and biodiversity.

Boat clubs that have historically catered to binary athletes, are struggling to put out a welcome mat for trans, and gender non-conforming athletes. Scholastic, collegiate, and masters programs – along with USRowing – are slowly adopting new policies and opportunities for trans rowers, but there’s a lot to learn and a long way to go. Cillian Mullen and Liam Mirada share their experiences as trans athletes and how the rest of us can create a welcoming boathouse environment.

Daniela Nacházelová was just 10 when she learned to row on the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic. She went on to row at Washington State University and collected medals at World Cups and world championships, and chased an Olympic dream. She fell in love with rowing, but also ended up hating it. We talk with her about her new book Women’s Voices in Rowing, and are joined by two of the women featured: Michelle Carpenter, CEO of Rowing Ireland; and Judy Geer, 2x Olympian and part of the owner-operator family at Concept2 and Craftsbury Outdoor Center.