Vashon Island Junior Rowing Club rowed in the Tail of the Lake Regatta on Sunday, Oct. 4. The Tail of the Lake is the first Seattle area head race of the fall rowing season. The city skyline provides the backdrop for the 4,000-meter course, held on beautiful Lake Union in downtown Seattle.

Throughout the day, the wind created a challenge for all 12 teams, which came from throughout the Puget Sound area. Rowing clubs ranged in size from 150 members to Vashon’s 28 junior rowers. Vashon participated in four races and despite being the smallest club competing, came away with two wins and one second-place finish in their three races. Laney Williams, Meaghan Connors, Marja Haflinger and Avalon Koenig took first in the women’s junior quad. In the men’s novice quad, Cole Bazemore, Zayne Goering, Tate Gill and Gus Magnuson also won first place in their first competition and after only a couple weeks of training. Ky Burton and Will Kicinski, in the men’s junior double, won second place. Two men’s junior quad boats comprised of Boat A — Steven DeWalt, Nolan Shinn, Thane Gill and Tim Hansen — and Boat B — Wade Hankin, Wes Paulsen, Alec Spencer and Isaiah Mosser-Rohe — could not compete because strong winds forced officials to close the course. Coxswains for the Vashon club were Olivia Sayvetz and Sarah Warner.

The next rowing race will be held in Victoria, B.C., on Oct. 24 and 25. A car wash will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, in the Vashon Island Market parking lot, to raise money for regatta race fees.

— Janet Williams is a crew mom.