This past weekend, the team headed up to Redwood Shores for the Redwood Rumble regatta, and as a senior, it was a race I’ll remember for a lot of reasons. This was my first-ever dual racing format, which made it feel special on its own. But there was an added layer to it: Redwood Shores sits right next to Stanford, where I’ll be rowing next year. Racing a course I’ll soon call home was surreal in the best way.
The trip itself was a great team experience. The hotel was a quick walk to the course, which made logistics smooth and gave us real time to bond as a team. Getting a solid practice session in before race day was huge. The course is unique, mostly protected/covered and a straight 2K which means you have to hold immediately at the end of the course. Having that early run through meant we showed up on race day with real confidence in the layout and markings. 
On the racing side, we went up against Marin, Capital, and NorCal: great competition that made for exactly the kind of prep we needed heading into the rest of spring season. The back to back 2k format was demanding in the best way. Lining up, racing hard, then doing it again builds something that’s hard to replicate in practice, and I think each race we came out better than the last.
Watching the other girls perform well was genuinely one of the highlights of my weekend. Cheering on both the men’s and women’s teams as we raced familiar competition made it feel like a full team effort. The energy on the water and on the dock was exactly what you want from a first spring race.
After a long day on the water, the other teams showed real generosity. Sharing food and making derig feel like less of a grind. We capped the trip with a stop at the Golden Gate Bridge on the way home, which was the perfect way to close out the weekend. Overall, the Redwood Rumble was a strong start to the race season. The team encouraged, and we’re carrying real momentum forward.
NAC Junior Rower,
Sophia Lin
