Send 4 boats from Vashon Junior Crew to Nationals

The Vashon Island Junior Crew team recently competed at the Northwest Junior Regional Championship regatta in Vancouver, Washington where the team entered 16 races, qualified for the final in 15 of them, medaled in 12, and qualified 4 boats for the U.S. Junior National Championships: the Women’s Varsity Quad, Women’s Varsity Four, Women’s Varsity Pair, and Men’s Varsity Lightweight Double. The U.S. Rowing Junior National Championships will take place on the second weekend of June in Oak Ridge, Tennessee where the 12 qualifying rowers, 1 coxswain, and 1 coach from Vashon Island will travel to compete against the fastest junior teams in the nation.

Being one of the smallest junior rowing programs in the country, qualifying for Nationals has been a tremendous challenge for the high school rowers who train 13 hours each week at the Jensen Point boathouse. Last year was the first time since 2005 Vashon sent boats to the National Championships, the fourth time during the team’s 20-year existence. This year, in one season, with the tenacity and passion of our new coach, Steve Full, the team managed to qualify 13 athletes for the prestigious event and more boats than in the past 20 years combined.

This exciting opportunity will require substantial funding in order to make the competition for the Vashon rowers possible. Because the team is not subsidized by the schools or the parks, all of the expenses fall on the rowers, their families, and the club. All together, the group of athletes will need to pay for their travel expenses, boat rentals, regatta fees, coaching expenses, and room and board while at the competition, adding up to an estimated $25,000. The team is asking for support from the community to help subsidize the cost so that both the team and the island will be able to participate and compete in this elite event, representing our little island at a national level. Having reached the goal of qualifying, we are working hard, madly fundraising so we will be able to compete. We need your help to propel our team on to represent Vashon. Please contribute what you can! Anything and everything helps!

Checks can be made payable to VIJC and addressed to:
Vashon Island Junior Crew
VIJC National Sponsorship Program
P.O. Box 79
Vashon, WA 98070

Thank you so much!
Vashon Island Junior Crew