Letter From Our CEO - June 2025

Dear USRowing Members,  

I'm happy to share that our national team athletes had a strong showing at World Cup last weekend, with the women’s four winning gold, Jacob Plihal earning his first World Cup medal in the men’s single with a silver, and the women’s eight taking silver in a tight race with Great Britain. The PR3 mixed four also brought home silver, and the U.S. mixed eight held off Germany to win the test event—an exciting sign of what’s to come. 

The future of rowing was on full display at the 2025 USRowing Youth National Championships this month — our biggest and most competitive yet. With 886 entries, over 4,000 athletes, and 43 champions crowned, it was a weekend of incredible racing and celebration.  It’s hard to describe the magic of this regatta—controlled chaos is one way someone put it, and I think that’s about right when you have thousands of teenagers in boats across multiple days. But one of my favorite moments came sitting in the finish line tower, overhearing two parents trade stories about their kids. One said to the other, “I don’t even know what a crab is or how you get one, but all I know is this sport has made my son’s life better in every single way.” Here’s to that sentiment—and the reminder of why this all matters.  

The excitement continued this month as we proudly hosted the inaugural Youth Beach Sprint National Championships at South Lido Key Beach in Sarasota—the first event of its kind in the U.S. and a big step forward for coastal rowing. Athletes took on head-to-head racing, beach runs, and wild sprints back to shore in a format that’s fun, fast, and made for spectators.   

This month, we also released the results of our 2024 Belonging Survey—and the progress is heartening. Participation more than quadrupled since 2022, and the results show meaningful improvements across nearly every identity group. More rowers and coaches report feeling a genuine sense of belonging, both within their teams and with USRowing as an organization. These findings remind us that when we listen to one another and act with intention, we can create a more inclusive, welcoming sport. There’s more work ahead, but these results represent a strong step forward in building a community where everyone can show up fully as themselves. 

And finally, in honor of Pride Month, we celebrate our LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches, and supporters. Whether at our boathouses, regattas, or on our national teams, we are proud of the inclusive, welcoming community we continue to build together. 

All best,  

Amanda