Learn to Row with Renton Rowing. Our experienced, certified coaches teach you the art of sculling, including proper rowing technique and how to handle a boat safely.  The introductory, six-session lesson set gives you skills to row independently or with teammates.  Experienced rowers can brush up sculling technique and perfect sculling skills.

You need no special athletic skills to enjoy rowing.  The sport is easy to learn and offers complete, full-body exercise, camaraderie and access to the beauty of Lake Washington.  Regular rowing develops strength, flexibility and a high level of physical fitness.

Our sculling instruction is accomplished in Pocock wherries and all equipment is provided by the Club. Please plan to wear layers of clothing warm enough for one hour on the water. Cycling tights, warm socks, and a snug fitting windbreaker (rain gear) are recommended.

Renton Rowing Spring Classes begin February 4th

Basic Sculling $65 Learn boat terminology, safety and handling, sculling technique and steering, with instruction on water and land. In sculling, the rower uses two smaller oars, or sculls. If you’ve never rowed before, this is a great class for you! Six lessons.

Intermediate Sculling $65 Do you have rowing experience and want to fine tune it or get back on the water? This is a great class for you! Improve your technique, conditioning, and confidence on the water. The program consists of graduates of the basic class, experienced scullers, and recreational scullers. Six lessons, including multiple shell configurations.

Basic Sweep Rowing $65 Learn boat terminology, safety and handling, sweep technique and steering, with instruction on water and land. In sweep rowing each rower has a single oar, so you must have other people in the boat with you. If you’ve never rowed before, this is a great class for you! Six lessons, including 3 introductory lessons in the stable rowing barge.

All classes are available to members at no additional charge, so by joining the club you can skip lesson fees! In addition to free instruction, a 3 month ($100) or annual ($250) club membership allows you to use club equipment after demonstrating basic proficiency.

A required float test is part of the first class. Parental approval is required for rowers under 18 years old.

Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and to guarantee your place in class we need your completed paperwork and payment. Please select each of the links below to download both the Renton Rowing Liability Form and the US Rowing Liability Release (Adobe Acrobat or other PDF reader required.)

Renton Rowing Liability Form
2011_USRowing_Waiver

Complete and mail both forms and the $65 lesson fee (checks made out to Renton Rowing) to

Renton Rowing Lessons
17410 7th Pl SW
Normandy Park, WA   98166

After the initial pool safety class (location tbd) lessons are held at the Cedar River Park. (See Google map.)

Late Spring and Summer Lessons

Additional lessons will be scheduled for later in the spring and over the summer. Send an email to info(at)rentonrowing(dot)org for further information or to express your interest.

Mike Walsh (foreground) races to the first of his two recent class wins - Photo by Michael Lampi & Sound Rowers

Renton Rowing’s Mike Walsh took wins in the Open Water III class (single rowing shells over 21′ in length) at Sound Rowers races September 17th at Budd Inlet and October 1st around Mercer Island. Walsh finished 6th overall in the 7 nautical mile Budd Inlet race in rainy and sometimes choppy conditions. In the 14.4 mile race around Mercer Island Walsh raced through fog and chop to finish 8th overall.

Sound Rowers conducts races coordinated by volunteers for world class and weekend athletes in any open water, human powered craft. Find out more at http://soundrowers.org/

A little luck, Renton Rowing Vice President Al Mackenzie’s position with the Pocock Rowing Center, and many hours of volunteer effort by club members enabled Renton Rowing to launch the club’s coaching and safety launch on June 25th, marking a significant milestone for the club. The launch will be used in our Learn to Row program, for coaching and for general, on-the-water safety.

Renton Rowing Coaching and Safety Launch work team, from left: Skip Anderson, Gerald Bielak and Mike Walsh

The launch will be christened Emil Kossev in honor of the former Pocock Rowing Center High Performance coach. Among many other accomplishments, Kossev worked to advance coaching educating in the areas of applied high performance technology and advanced video systems. Kossev used the launch prior to his 2008 death after a year long battle with cancer. The Kossev Consortium was founded to carry on his work http://www.kossevconsortium.org/index.asp. Read about Emil Kossev at http://www.kossevconsortium.org/about_emil.asp.

The "Emil Kossev" Coaching and Safety Launch ready for action.

Sound Rowers La Connor Race

Renton Rowing members Deb Natelson and Mike Walsh raced in the Saturday, February 5th La Connor Sound Rowers event over seven miles of open water.

Natelson finished 3rd in women’s Open Water II in her Maas Aero.
Walsh finished 6th in men’s Open Water III in his Maas 24.

Complete results can be found at
http://soundrowersphoto.org/results/laconner2011.htm

Pictures can be seen at
http://soundrowersphoto.org/photography/2011/La%20Conner%202011/album/index.html

A Skagit Herald article with video is available at
http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/23rd_annual_open_water_race_kicks_off_sound_rowers_season/

NW Indoor Rowing Championships – Ergomania

Renton Rowing member Bob Miller raced in the Saturday, February 5th NW Indoor Rowing Championships at Seattle University’s Connolly Center on a Concept2 Indoor Rower.

Miller finished 6th in men’s 50-59 2000 meters.

Complete results can be found at
http://nwergomania.com/?page_id=68

There was a very good article about Ergomania in Sunday’s Seattle Times available at
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014142663_indoorrowing06m.html

Don’t miss the photo gallery that accompanies the Seattle Times article
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/photogalleries/localnews2014142828/

By TwitterButtons.com

A generous donation of used boats by Pocock Racing Shells, a trailer borrowed from the Pocock Rowing Center and a club work party combined in December to place two 8′s and two 4′s in the Renton Rowing boat pen. More work will be needed to get the boats rigged and ready for the water this spring, so watch your email for another club work party.

Club members unload boats at the December work party

Our experienced, certified coaches teach you the art of sculling, including proper rowing technique and how to handle a boat safely.  The initial, six-session lesson set gives you skills to row independently or with teammates.  Experienced rowers brush up technique and perfect sculling skills.

Rowing is easy to learn and offers complete, full-body exercise, camaraderie and access to the beauty of Lake Washington.  Regular rowing develops strength, flexibility and a high level of physical fitness.

Select the [Lessons] button above for the summer 2010 lesson schedule.

See Sarah Zugschwerdt’s article about Coach Kent McLeary and Renton Rowing on page 14 of the July 2009 issue of Renton Magazine. The magazine is available in a .PDF download at this link (see page 13 in the .PDF version.) A broadband connection is recommended due to the 10 mb file size.