We are celebrating National Learn to Row (NLTR) Day this year on Sunday, June 12th, from 9am-1pm. BIAC will be open to the public for a Learn to Row mixer with refreshments, erg classes, anatomy of boats intro, and an on-the-water Learn to Row primer. This event is FREE and a great way to introduce the community to rowing and showcase BIAC. Tell your friends to come – full event details are here. And don't forget to attend and volunteer. This is a great way to get your volunteer hours and have fun in the sun!

On May 15, a full trailer of BIAC boats competed at Lake Natoma in Sacramento. It was a successful return to the 1k masters sprint format with BIAC fielding 23 entries across 20 events. Masters men and women competed in every boat category and spanned age groups from AA to I. Coming home with gold were the crews in the: W4xA-C, M2xA, W2xF and M4xAA-B. Full results can be found here.

On May 21, BIAC hosted a party to celebrate the contributions of Jon Carlson. There were speeches, music, gifts and a boat naming ceremony. Beautiful Bair Island wildlife photos by Jerry Pierce, printed on canvas, were auctioned and profited $1290 for the club. Thank you, Jerry! Party goers ate Polish kanapkas-canapés, Italian lasagna and meatballs, beautiful salads, chips, cookies, pies, macaroons and more. Beer, mimosas and wine added an extra cheerful flavor to the party. Thank you, Jon, for giving us the reason to have a party and celebrate!

Some may have wondered ... Why is there a life size Tonka truck in the back lot of BIAC?! Well, when Coach Mike Verdone isn't working on real estate or coaching for Serra, he restores and collects old military vehicles. The truck is a 1990 FLU 419, known as a rapid response tactical excavator used by the Army. The vehicle itself is a Mercedes Unimog that was modified by Freightliner with Case backhoe and bucket attachments. It was originally brought to BIAC to level some ground and free up space previously inaccessible. Additionally, Norcal paid to have gravel brought in which has also been used to level the space in the South Lot and reduce weed growth.

This month our Coffee Central will be hosted by the Novice Team. Come join them in the South Lot this Saturday, June 4, from 8:30-10:30am. Enjoy a cup of coffee, tea or juice and something tasty to eat – and make new friends! Everyone is welcome!

BIAC member and rower on the competitive team, Nadia Cooper, PT, DPT, OCS, is also a doctor at Kaiser. In this second event in our speaker series, Nadia will educate us on how to train safely to avoid injuries. Attend her talk on Saturday, June 25 at 8:30am in the BIAC classroom modular.

The arrival of warm, spring weather increases activity at our club and on our waterway. This is a good thing for our sport, but it increases the risks. Take some time to review the Rules and Regulations on our website, which exist to provide a safer and more enjoyable experience for our members. Some of the highlights:

• Everyone is responsible for their own safety. Wear hi-vis clothing, take your cell phone, wear a PDF if you cannot swim 100 meters.
• There is increased traffic in the harbor from rowers and paddlers, as well as recreational boaters. Rowers: pay strict attention to our right-side (starboard-side) traffic pattern. Watch carefully for cross traffic coming out of Paly cove, Westpoint Slough, and Corkscrew Slough.
• Everyone is responsible to behave in a courteous and reasonable manner, both on the dock and on the water. The Golden Rule prevails, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

The full summer schedule is posted online here. Tell neighbors, co-workers, family and friends to come try rowing! Each series includes six 2-hour sessions. If you know someone wanting to get back into rowing and has experience, or someone wanting to learn who cannot attend our classes, have them email Chris and 1:1 or small classes can be scheduled with coaches on a case-by-case basis.

With the continued interest in coastal rowing and wanting to learn to row in wind and waves, BIAC is excited to offer members more opportunities to try this discipline of rowing. Learn to embrace the wake! For members who already know how to row, we're offering: Intro to Coastal Rowing for Rowers – Try the coastal solo, double or a coastal quad and learn more about what makes coastal rowing unique and fun.

Do you know any young people interested in learning to row? Check out the day camps offered by our neighbors at Stanford. They have plenty of spots left for all of their rowing camps; no rowing experience is required. The camps are coached by Stanford rowing coaches as well as camp counselors with many years of rowing experience. All information on the camps can be found.

This was just the rebuilding year Junipero Serra Crew needed after rebounding from the long-lasting effects of the pandemic. With the foundation set, now is the time to start building speed.

The Serra boys in the U17 2X and Frosh 8+ recently competed at SRAA- Scholastic Nationals in Camden NJ. In a tough heat, the Serra Freshman 8+ fought through conditions to finish 23 seconds behind National Champion Canisius H.S. from Buffalo, NY.

The Sophomore 2x raced up in the Junior category finishing 4th in their heat, just missing out on qualifying for the grand final by 3 seconds. With much learned, the 2x continues to train hard in preparation for USRowing Youth Nationals in Sarasota, FL, kicking off June 9th. Wish the boys luck if you see them around the boathouse before they gear up to depart for FL next week. Go Padres!

2022 has established Norcal Crew as a team to beat! After a successful weekend of racing at Lake Natoma at the Southwest Regional Championships, Norcal placed most of their boats into the grand finals. 2022 was the first year that all the 8+'s made the grand finals. The Southwest region is one of the fastest regions in the country, so this is a great accomplishment.

Winning gold medals in four events sets the stage for next year and raises the bar for all of the athletes. Norcal Qualified 45 athletes in 6 events to compete at the National Championships in Sarasota, Florida June 9-12. Go Norcal!

Core stability is important in rowing as well as rotator cuff and shoulder strength. This exercise targets all of the above. To make it easier, use less (or no) weight and / or do the plank on bent knees. A resistance band or dumbbell both work well. Here’s a short clip of the movement.

Two Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 kayaks are available for sale together or separately. They are in very good condition. and are currently being stored at BIAC. Email Jane Taylor for more information.