Burton Beach Rowers take four silver medals at Tail of the Lake

As always, the event didn’t disappoint.

By Eric Odegard for The Beachcomber • October 5, 2023 1:30 am
The BBRC Women’s U19 Coxed Quad rows to the silver medal at Tail of the Lake. From left to right: Taylor Huffman, Paige Gibbons, Haley Hopper, Kez Rutschow, and Caroline Barnes as the Coxswain (Photo by Carey Huffman).
The BBRC Women’s U19 Coxed Quad rows to the silver medal at Tail of the Lake. From left to right: Taylor Huffman, Paige Gibbons, Haley Hopper, Kez Rutschow, and Caroline Barnes as the Coxswain (Photo by Carey Huffman).

The Fall Rowing Season got underway for the rowers of Burton Beach Rowing Club (BBRC) on Sunday, Oct. 1 at the Tail of the Lake Regatta in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood.

As always, the event didn’t disappoint. Rowers made their way around a 4k course with downtown Seattle as the backdrop, while trying to ignore the occasional seaplane coming in for a landing.

The team rowed strong, bringing home four silver medals on the day. Taylor Huffman, a senior, and Hayley Hopper, a junior, both took two silvers. Their first came in the Women’s U19 Coxed Quad along with Keziah Rutschow Paige Gibbons, and Caroline Barnes as the Coxswain. Huffman and Hopper also took silver in the Open Gender Double.

“The Tail of the Lake is one of my favorite regattas because of the beautiful course and amazing people running it,” Hopper said. “In our quad and double, we pulled a silver. It was very exciting and a great way to start the fall season.”

Also medaling for the club were sophomore Ella Odegard in the Women’s U17 Single, and freshman Briar Guenther in the Men’s U17 Single.

“We were pleased with the way our athletes rowed today to start off the season,” said Head Coach Richard Parr. “It was good to have everyone back out on the water and a positive way to kick off the season.”

The club will race next at American Lake, on October 8th. Following that, the BBRC will send three boats to the Head of the Charles in Boston over the weekend of Oct. 20-22.

Correction: This article, as originally published, erred in saying that Taylor Huffman and Hayley Hopper received a bronze medal in the Open Gender Double. They received a silver medal. We regret the error.