Updates & News

Promote BIAC Summer Classes

At BIAC we teach Learn to Row, Learn to Scull and now ... Learn to Stand Up Paddle Board, Learn to Kayak and Learn to Outrigger Canoe! Please take 5 minutes right now to help us promote the classes – it will make a big difference.

• Invite your Friends! Hang up a flyer at work, your favorite coffee shop or email it to your friends (see it here).
• Write a Google review – just search for Bair Island Aquatic Center and click where it says Reviews.
• Log your workouts on Strava and tag your activity at BIAC.

Post a meme to social media and promote summer classes to your network!

BIAC on the National Stage

Congratulations to Aisha Chow and Molly Reckford for their fast racing as they represented BIAC at the USA speed orders April 18-21 in Florida! Aisha finished strong in the W1x 3rd repechage and Molly won the WLtwt 1x B final. Molly said, "I had a ton of fun racing and learned a lot!" She will now spend three weeks at training camp in Sarasota and then race the Ltwt2x in the National Selection Regatta in New Jersey, May 16-19. Good luck, Molly!

Renewals and Rewards

Everyone who renews their BIAC membership on time will receive an invitation and companion ticket to try our SUPs (stand up paddle boards) and kayaks before we open rentals to the public. Please renew by May 1st to receive your ticket.

Equipment Updates

• Freedom Rows Grant – BIAC received a grant for two new Wintec 21 1xs for everyone to enjoy. These are a great addition to our aging fleet of wherry 1xs. Remember, when you see the Freedom Row logo, we receive these boats because of our programming and support of Veterans. Pictured at right, post-inaugural rigging is Alice, Dorith and Genevieve.
• Salt is Bad – Since we started cleaning the boats after every row, they are in better shape. We still need to have regularly deep cleaning events in order to maintain the equipment (see photo at right). There was a lot of salt on the bolts that was not obvious until all the pieces were removed. Note: this was from The Mac, a two-year-old 2x boat. If you love a boat, help deep clean it quarterly.

Club Updates

BIAC is a volunteer organization and we appreciate all of you! Thanks for the recent hours spent weeding, cleaning, organizing, repairing, designing, editing, accounting (and much more) as well as the behind the scenes work that makes BIAC thrive. This month, a thank you to the novice team for helping to dismantle an old section of dock and a special thank you to Greg Faris for taking it apart piece by piece.

Thank you to all of the good deeds that the volunteers at BIAC do throughout the year.

Volunteer Opportunities

• This weekend, May 4th, we need volunteers to help staff the Sequoia Yacht Club water activities booth at their open house. Please sign up here to volunteer to staff the booth and promote our programs.
• Help build a rental hut! If you are up for a little fun with carpentry and tiki decorating, please email Alice.
• Are you an Instagram addict? Help promote BIAC on our Instagram account. Earn your volunteer hours through social media! Please contact Alice.
• Volunteer for National Learn to Row Day on June 1. See details in the events section of this newsletter and sign up here.

Upcoming Events

National Learn to Row Day

Coming up on June 1 from 10am-1pm, it's National Learn to Row Day! This free event is open to the public and run entirely by volunteers. Guests are introduced to BIAC, given a quick primer on how to erg and then sent out in an 8+ or the barge for a short row. Tell your friends and neighbors! And don't forget to volunteer (sign up here). It's a great way to knock out your hours in the sunshine. (And don't forget to spread the word about all the other summer activities!)

Program Highlights

Crew Team Tidings

On April 6-7, the Competitive Team sent a Women’s 8+ to race at San Diego Crew Classic in the Women’s Masters B event. Congratulations on their 2nd place finish!

Several other BIAC members also competed in alumni events, a composite boat in the Mens Masters B event and for the Kent Mitchell Rowing Club in the Mens Masters B, E and F categories. Congratulations on their gold medal finish in the F event!

Coastal Rowing

On April 14, several BIAC members competed in the Open Ocean Regatta hosted by Open Water Rowing Club in Sausalito. Hannah Wayment-Steele raced a coastal 1x, Sharon Wienbar raced in a coastal 2x, and Lili Retelny, Amanda Hawkins and Arun Das (cox) raced in the coastal 4x+. It was 14k of open water racing from Sausalito to Tiburon to the Golden Gate bridge and back. Learn more about coastal rowing at BIAC and check out regatta results here.

Juniors News

It was a busy weekend at San Diego Crew Classic (April 6-7) with Serra High School racing their Varsity 8+ and Norcal Crew racing in the Novice Men, Varsity Men, JV Men, Lightweight Men, Novice Women, Varsity Women and JV Women's categories. It was a great weekend of racing and good experience leading up to the Southwest Regionals Championships this weekend at Lake Natoma (May 3-5). Good luck to them all!

Menlo College

Menlo College sent a Men's 2x to WIRA (Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association) competition at Lake Natoma on April 27-28. They finished 4th in the grand final. It's an amazing accomplishment and a great performance for their new rowing program. Congratulations to rowers Jake and Harrison!

Paddling Bulletin

BIAC partners with the Redwood City parks department multiple times a year to sponsor a waterman class focusing on paddling different boats. Twice a week for two months we have 13-16 middle schoolers enjoying kayaks, SUPs, OC long boats and being on the water in general.

Para Athletes

BIAC adaptive athletes again competed at the San Diego Crew Classic (4 athletes plus a "rabbit"). We had two PR2 (arms and body rowing only) rowers race against each other. This was the first time there was a contested PR2 2x race on the west coast, and one of the first times outside of a USA trials event. BIAC and our athletes are key contributors in the advancement of adaptive rowing in the country! In total, our athletes won three events and took one second place.

Sculling Scoop

Recently the Erows (Everybody Rows, sculling Level 2) class had a lovely row followed by a potluck picnic. Ah, the joys of rowing in the middle of the day. Erows is a sculling drop in class that is available to any BIAC rowing member for $20 a class. Contact Alice for details.

Useful Links

• Live Calendar
• Maintenance Requests
• Boat Rack Map
• Fleet Status
• Board Minutes
• Key Contacts at BIAC

Contact us

Submit newsletter items! Email us here.

(650) 241-8213
www.gobair.org