If the Rowing Season Starts at the Crew Classic, there was something appropriate about having the first large regatta of the spring start with a win by a crew packed with national team rowers and Olympians in the Mixed Eight - as it might be that the mixed eight is raced in the Olympics just one major metro area to the north in a little over three years.

Club Nautico de San Juan lit up Lane 1 in that first race of the weekend, much as they did last year with many of the same crew members. Two-time Olympian Michelle Knox Zaloom encouraged regatta-goers to bring the noise.

"Race conditions were good, little bit of side chop through the middle thousand," she said. "Cheering through the last 500 was motivational so let the crowds know to be loud! "

Crewmate Jeb Besser mentioned the cross-headwind as well - or is he referencing early season masters rowing challenges? "What a great run for the first 250 meters. Then this course turns into Rainbow Road but that's what makes it so much fun at the Crew Classic, the west coast's answer to the Head of the Charles."

Club Nautico de San Juan

Speaking in the native language of El Club after the race, six-seat Luke Cunningham shared the following club statement, perhaps with some embellishment: "Somos muy viejos pero queremos ganar. Gracias por su hospitalidad aquí en San Diego, la ciudad más hermosa del sur de California que también tiene la segunda mayor cantidad de tatuajes en el cuello per cápita. Nos encantaría regresar con Bad Bunny, él es nuestro dios rey."

(Translation: We're very old, but we want to win. Thank you for your hospitality here in San Diego, the most beautiful city in Southern California, which also has the second-highest number of neck tattoos per capita. We'd love to return with Bad Bunny; he's our god-king.)

ACRA Crews Command Friday Afternoon

In the second year of the ACRA-only eights events, UC Santa Barbara defended their title in the women's eight while southern neighbor UCLA did the same in the men's eight. Both overcame solid challenges to win, from SDSU in the women's eight and Delaware in the men's eight.

"We started off strong and were able to pull ahead off the start, keeping that lead throughout the whole race," UCLA five-seat Gage Saari said. "This boat was relaxed and smooth down the whole course and I'm proud of these boys."

UCLA men's eight

UCLA two-seat Pierce Rands reminded us that there is always more to college racing than what goes on between bow and stern.

"Balancing student-athlete life has been tough, but spring break helped us reset and refocus," Rands said. "This race shows where we stand and the momentum we're bringing into spring."

UCSB women's eight

Most of the ACRA crews will race again in other events during the weekend; good luck the rest of the way!

Biggest Crew Classic Ever

The regatta's switch to a three-day format has continued to attract entries, with the 2025 regatta attracting 426 entries, the regatta's highest-ever entry count. Approximately 4000 athletes will populate those entries, starting from the masters eights racing on Friday afternoon through to a blitz of 500 meter dash races to end the regatta on Sunday afternoon.

This is the 52nd Running of the Regatta; Here's a Look at the 2nd

The regatta recently posted some vintage footage of the second Crew Classic; there are some vintage haircuts to be seen, some interesting (and good) rowing, but what I really need to know is:

Are the crews racing in the opposite direction?

US Marines and US Team Close Out the Day

Crews made up of half US Marines and half US National Team members faced off in a 1000 meter race to close out Friday racing, including a couple Marines who had never rowed before getting into the boat in San Diego. It is a courageous move, but of course they're Marines, so taking on an uncertain mission is what they do.

It was actually a remarkable race, as a Marine's jammed seat in one crew would have seemed to put them out of contention quickly, but the crew kept themselves in the race nearly until the end.

The Juniors Are Coming

While today's racing was heavy on masters racing, Saturday's racing includes pretty much everyone from U16 to full geezer; the juniors are getting their social media revved

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We will see you on the course in the morning!