Hello UCRC alumni, friends and supporters:
I’m happy to present our first newsletter, a project spearheaded by Chad Reid ‘09 and Nathan Martell ‘89. Here’s a preview of what you’ll find:
A former UC rower made a big splash on the global stage at the international coastal rowing championships in Wales, then it earned him a national honor from US Rowing.
A trip down memory lane from Sarah Gallimore ‘10, giving you the highlights of her rowing and life since. In her time since graduating from UC she's lived all over the country, earned a master's degree, launched a successful career as a designer, and even started a family with another former UC rower.
Next, check out a summary of the UC team’s fall season from Coach Brian Pack. After completing his first year as head coach in 21/22, Coach Pack and his squad are looking for growth and, of course, speed.
We’ll also check-in on former rowers who squared off earlier this year at San Diego Crew Classic.
Finally, we’ll give you an update on our UCRAF-owned rowing site.
Hard to believe, but UC Rowing will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year. With all that history, there are soooo many rowing and life stories out there. Please stay in touch. Our team and UCRAF will be better if you’re involved. Thank you, enjoy your Fall, and Go Bearcats!
-- Rolf Linder
Alumnus Wins Athlete of the Year After Big Win
We’re incredibly excited to announce that US Rowing’s newest Beach Sprint Athlete of the Year is a familiar face. Fresh off of terrific performances at the 2022 World Rowing Coastal Championship and the Head of the Charles, alumnus Chris Bak ‘19 won the award – US Rowing’s highest individual honor.
"After 10 years in the sport there has been numerous milestones along the way, one of which was my time at the University of Cincinnati," Bak said. "I had the privilege to be able to row under several coaches at UC most notably Brian Pack and Marc Oria. I attribute much of my rowing success to these two coaches and the UC rowing program as a whole as they were able to provide a competitive yet welcoming environment for the team to grow while at the same time allowing for flexibility in boating selection for races."
Bak represented the US at the 2022 World Rowing Coastal Championships in Wales. He competed in the men’s quad as well as the men’s single event. His quad placed 3rd, while he won the singles event in a field of 25 competitors. It was the first gold for the US in coastal rowing.
He also was in a double that finished 3rd in the men’s championship double event at the Head of the Charles on October 22nd, rowing alongside Polish coastal rower Maciej Zawojski. They placed only behind the German National Team and Men’s National Team doubles.
"I also want to extend a special thank you for Rolf Linder who has supported the program as well as my personal rowing career," he said. "Lastly the sport of rowing has brought my life in directions that I would have never imagined and I want to thank all involved and I am excited to see more future successes of the team. Go Bearcats."
Way to go, Chris!
Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Gallimore
Sarah Gallimore has experienced University of Cincinnati Rowing from both the Varsity women's perspective and later as part of the Club program before graduating in 2010. Not only was she a dedicated athlete, but a great teammate and friend to so many other members of the program. We figured what better way to kick off a new series catching up with former rowers than to check in on Sarah and what she’s been up to. Read below to learn more.
When did you finish your rowing career and what were your favorite moments in that journey?
I started off my rowing career in high school at Grosse Ile and Wyandotte Boat Club near Detroit for several years before joining the UC varsity women's team in 2005. I rowed for the next 3-4 years, first with the Varsity team and then with the Club team after the Varsity team sadly went away. My favorite memories from those years are centered around the many social engagements between the men/women’s teams, my roommates (who were all rowers) and shared misery of early morning van rides to practice, wet docking on the regular when we had very few resources and board pushes with Paul, our insane weight coach at the time.
What have you been up to since you stopped rowing? And What did you study at UC, do you use your degree in your professional life?
I graduated from UC's DAAP college in 2010 with a BS in Interior Architecture and Design but, thanks to the co-op program at UC, I quickly realized I wanted to take a slightly different path. I spent a year living and working after graduation in Austin, TX before deciding to go back to grad school in San Francisco at the California College of the Arts where I completed a dual masters in Transdisciplinary Design and an MBA in Design Strategy - as well as freelancing for several Bay Area companies. I then moved back home to the Detroit area and re-connected/married my college sweetheart – also a UC Rowing alumni.
I'm currently the mother to a vivacious 4.5 year old who I hope will get a chance to try out the great sport of her parents someday in the near future. She already likes hopping on the erg but I am assuming that will change once her legs are long enough to actually use it.
I have worked as a design strategist and futurist across markets within tech startups, architectural firms, and local governments over the past 12 years. A lot of people ask me to explain what my work has looked like and what I do... and basically I help new designers and non-designers think and work in ways that a designer would, but on a wide range of challenges. I teach and support learning of designer mindsets and methods. I've working on projects geared towards getting people to buy things like coffee, hot dogs, and sex toys. I've also worked on creating economic opportunities for returning citizens and increasing equity in the early childhood ecosystem. I recently accepted a new role as the Director for Design and Innovation at The Ohio State University. I'm currently working remotely from Detroit until this summer when we will move to Columbus (a triumphant return to OH!). I'm also working on a startup at the intersection of the future of childcare and work.
Have you stayed in touch with any of your former teammates from your days as a UC Rower?
Yes! Most of us are connected to one another via social media and so we stay up to date quite a bit despite being all over the country now. My maid of honor was a UC rowing teammate and many of my closest rowing friends were guests at our wedding, and I've been a guest at theirs. I also have a somewhat regular – but not regular enough – zoom hangout with a handful of them. One former teammate, Tony Geara ‘07, actually used to live 5 minutes from us here in Detroit! Several former teammates have already reached out about getting together with our move back to Ohio as they now live in the Columbus area.
What do you do now when you're not working, to stay active, do you ever get back in a boat?
Getting back into a boat has been on my to-do list for awhile now but – to be honest – as a military spouse that frequently has to solo-parent alongside "work" work, committing to early morning practices with a team has been really hard. We do stay active here in the city though as there are so many fun things to do! We have a great local gym that I try to get to whenever I can, family bike rides/walks are a favorite, and I enjoy gardening in our yard these days. I also recently found out that I have joint hypermobility disorder (which was great when I was a young rower) so I've also been in physical therapy a lot this past year to try to mitigate some of the challenges that come along with that and getting older! My husband also bought me an archery set this year that I'm excited to practice with.
Are there any fun details about your family that you would be willing to share?
We try to travel and share as many experiences together as we can. We took a family trip to Northern Michigan earlier this year and we are headed to Budapest for the second time next month as well as Disney World with my whole family. Traveling as a young adult all over the country to race definitely cultivated a love for regularly visiting new places and meeting new people.
How did rowing shape who you are and what your life is today?
Rowing and the culture around it, both in high school and at UC, definitely shaped me. How could it not during such formative years? I wouldn't have considered myself athletic as a young teenager but finding rowing, and then getting a scholarship to attend college due to my skill at it, was an immensely powerful gift. It was also foundational in building my understanding of teamwork, patience, work ethic, and more – all critical "soft" skills that I use every day in my professional life as well as parenting.
Team Update from Coach Brian Pack
The University of Cincinnati Rowing Team is definitely still in a rebuilding phase but when I look back on the fall season of 2022 there are exciting signs of progress. Our roster is still small but as the executive board and I continue to learn our roles I look forward to growing it. Importantly, we have achieved some results which create the kind excitement that fosters growth and retention.
In 2021 with my first year back we had to relearn what it meant when someone said something like, “I have rowed for 3 years.” With the interruptions of COVID-19 and COOP learning experiences, which UC
is so renowned for, an athlete who said something like that might have been more comparable to what many of us would think of as someone who is a first year varsity rower: never having raced 2 consecutive seasons, been on a spring break training trip, or raced at the ACRA National Championship.
Two regattas in the fall of 2021 became three in the fall of 2022 (Speakmon Memorial Regatta added to Head of the Ohio and Head of the Hooch), with almost all of our athletes medaling at some point (compared to just one boat in the fall of 2021).
The varsity women focused on sculling due to the composition of their roster; racing quadruple sculls and taking home a bronze medal in the women’s championship double from Head of the Hooch. Our varsity men rowed fours and pairs this fall, bringing home three pairs medals and finishing respectably in the 4+. A hard working group of novice women won the women’s novice 4+ at Head of the Ohio and Speakmon and took home bronze in a field of 22 boats from Head of the Hooch! We hope to recruit additional novice men to add to the two who competed in mixed fours (taking silver at Speakmon).
COVID restrictions and facilities limitations meant there were no 6K tests in the fall of 2021. The day of this writing the team completed their 2nd fall 6K test for 2022, with 11 athletes achieving new personal records.
Our athletes have seen what their hard work can achieve and are raising their standards, expectations, and goals looking forward to winter and spring!
- Coach Pack
UC Alumni Square Off in San Diego
Earlier this year, three former UC rowers competed against each other at the San Diego Crew Classic.
Alumni Zach Tucker and Addison Moore from Long Beach Rowing Association and Chad Reid from the Lake Merritt Rowing Club faced off in the same event – Mens Masters 8+ Presidents Trophy.
Long Beach finished second in the event, while Lake Merritt finished fifth.
Giving Tuesday,
It’s not an overstatement to say that UC Rowing survived a lot these past few years. None of it though, would have been possible without the support of its friends, families, and alumni. Much of that support has been channeled through UCRAF. Since becoming a 501(c)3 organization in 2021, UCRAF has been able to increase donations and provide tax benefits for donors and potential donors.
This year UCRAF will again conduct our formal fundraiser Giving Tuesday. Last year we raised $14,000. This year, our goal is to beat that number and raise $16,000. Please remember to mark your calendar for Tuesday, November 29 and put those Black Friday savings to good use supporting UC Rowing.
Don’t forget to check and see if your donations can be matched, or if your employer has a donation nomination program. We hope for matched employer donations to help make an $18,000 s-t-r-e-t-c-h goal and gain some extra length – these programs can make the most of our 501c3 status for everyone.
Funds raised by UCRAF directly support UC Rowing and improvements at the rowing site. Your donations make a difference, and help make the team faster, better, stronger. UC Rowing is here today because of the hard work of its athletes and because of donors like you, so let's keep it going and give on Tuesday!
The Site
Do you know that UCRAF has its own rowing site? It’s true -- in 2015 a small group of alumni purchased the former Shelter Cove Marina. This 6-acre spot in the east end of Cincinnati had been our rent-a-rowing site for many years, and when the property went on the market we secured it for the future of the team.
We are now entering our 8th year of ownership. We host two resident teams – UCRC and Queen City Rowing Club (youth & masters). Combined, about 80 people use the site daily. In the next few years, we expect this to grow to more than 100. We provide both teams with access to the Little Miami and Ohio River waterways, for truly excellent rowing from March to November. Some recent highlights:
A few years ago, the City of Cincinnati extended the Ohio River Trail (a wide sidewalk) past our property, so we now look and feel more civilized and “connected.”
With more pedestrian traffic comes a need to pay more attention to security. This year we installed a multi-camera system to keep an eye on things.
Our Advisory Board building committee is developing a long-term facilities plan. This will include expansion capacity for our two resident teams and their equipment. A multi-year project, but exciting! This committee includes Paul Gordon ‘14, Tristan Hite ‘19, Andrew Lennard ‘13, and Adriana Sistig ‘19. If you’d like to be involved, please let us know – we especially need civil & environmental engineering and floodplain expertise.
Short term, we’re planning other improvements to keep teams and athletes happy and healthy. These include changing rooms (no more changing in cars and port-a-potties) and more boat rack space.
Stop by and visit when you’re in the area, we’d love to see you.