United We Row

The United We Row Design Contest invites community members to create a digital piece of artwork for the United We Row program that will be used across a variety of merchandise sold in the USRowing marketplace.

The winning artwork represents the United We Row program. We encourage creativity and seek a piece of art that can spark storytelling and create memories for the rowing community.

2025

About the Artist

Victoria Loehle, a masters rower from Somerville, MA, created a design capturing a mixed 8+ rowing crew (and their dogs!) in a heartfelt pre-race huddle. With each rower’s left hand—closest to the heart—in the center, the piece symbolizes unity and team spirit. Thoughtful details highlight diversity: a rower in a hijab, another with a prosthetic limb, one with cochlear implants, and another wearing headphones. Ports wear red shoes, starboards wear green, while the coxswain and coach wear one of each.

About the Design

"I wanted my design to show a mixed 8+ crew (along with their dogs!) during their pre-race pep talk. The left hand is closer to your heart, so that is the hand in the circle. The ports are wearing red shoes. The starboards are wearing green shoes. The coxswain and coach (a rower) are wearing one of each. One rower is wearing a hijab. One rower is wearing a prosthetic limb. One rower is wearing cochlear implants. One rower is wearing headphones. A couple of rowers are wearing rainbows. All are wearing the same team uniform." - Loehle

2024

About the Artist

Kaitlyn Hall is a novice masters rower from Tacoma, Washington. She began rowing at 26 after a friend encouraged her to try it at a National Learn to Row Day event. Just over a year later, she spends three mornings each week sculling with Olympia Area Rowing and engages in rowing-related design work when she’s not on the water.

Kaitlyn works in communications for a regional education agency, supporting both digital and language accessibility as part of her role. She is eager to promote inclusive programming both on and off the water, and her design reflects a vision of rowing where individuals of all identities are invited to participate, included, and empowered to shape the future of our sport.

About the Design

She included visual markers representing the identities that rowers may hold — such as skin color or limb differences — but understands that no single depiction can truly represent the diverse spectrum of gender, racial, ethnic, linguistic, religious, disability, or veteran identities within our community. She hopes that each rower is ready to join this crew in holding up the oar and uniting to create a future where there’s a seat in the boat for everyone. 