By Marie Elium
Dockside is busy on an early Tuesday evening along the Cuyahoga River at the Western Reserve Rowing Association.
Rowers, mostly high school and college-age, carefully carry 60-foot boats over their heads and, with military-like precision, place them in the water.
One group stands out: Crew 24W. The W signifies a women-only crew; the number assigned by the club. Their average age is 67.
The crew has eight rowers and one coxswain. From the sidelines—and for someone who’s never been in a slender crew boat, or racing shell—the arms appear to do all the work; an understandable assumption, but not quite true, the women say.
“It’s all legs,” says crew member Sue Butler, 76. “All legs and cores.”
Water has long been a part of crew captain Laura Cizmar’s life, but the 71-year-old didn’t venture into rowing until her husband bought her a membership to the rowing club. She got hooked: “It’s the sense of adventure and we like being on the water and seeing the wildlife.”
Rita Shepard, 59, has been rowing for 21 years. “I like the exercise, I like being outside, I like the urban setting and I like the teamwork,” she says.
Regardless of what first attracted the women to the sport, they’ve each found their place on the water. From May through August, they practice on the Cuyahoga River, starting from a dock off British Street at the rowing association Boathouse in The Flats, and compete in two regattas each season.
If you don’t know much (or anything) about rowing, we’ll let Cizmar take it from here:
“Crews generally have 11-13 members. This allows for vacations, and in the case of older crews, injuries. Eight people row at a time. The end seat, #8, is known as stroke. That person sets the tempo and pace of the oars that all other rowers follow. The middle four seats are called the engine room and supply the power and speed for the boat,” she says.
“The end-most rowers, stern pair and bow pair, provide maneuverability. Seated facing stroke and not rowing is the coxswain. That is the person who calls out who rows when and how. They also call out any drills. Many coxswains are high schoolers hired by the crew. The motorized boat that runs alongside of the shell contains the coach, who has ultimate responsibility for the boat. Both the coach and coxswain are vigilant about safety.”
Cizmar continues, “Cuyahoga is the ‘crooked river, making steering and visibility challenging. As such, safety is a constant issue. While on the river, rowing shells have to dodge freighters, tug boats, pleasure craft, kayakers, paddleboarders, dragon boats and the Goodtime III. Freighters are a particular challenge in that their steering mechanisms create undertows and dangerous currents in the river.”
“Each crew has a sponsor, which, to me, is the glue of the program. 24W is proud to have been sponsored by the Flat Iron for over 10 years. Many crews have similarly devoted sponsors who may sponsor more than one boat each season.”
Cizmar says, “In the end, rowing is about teamwork and friendship, as well as being a challenging sport. It teaches resiliency. Like life, you never know what you are going to encounter on the river. Flexibility is key. Each time you put in, you are seeking the perfect row. Finding it is peace, serenity, power and bliss.”
Several teams are powered by people 55 and older. Learn to Row lessons are held each season. No experience is necessary. Contact the rowing association for more information at westernreserverowing.com.
Boats go out nearly every evening in the summer. Regattas, or races, are June 21 and Aug. 9, starting around 8 a.m. and going throughout early afternoon. 24W will race twice on each of those two days. A tip for spectators from Cizmar: Grab a spot on the riverbank anywhere between the Flat Iron Cafe near the swing bridge and the boathouse.
The Head of the Cuyahoga race (HOT-C) is Sept. 27, attracting adult recreational, high school and college crews from throughout the region with singles, pairs, fours and eight-member crews. Cizmar says the best views are at Cleveland Metropark’s Merwin’s Wharf Restaurant and dock, Crane Park by the Columbus Street bridge, and along the Towpath Trail. Another great viewing spot: the swing bridge and the Columbus Road bridge.
Whether you’re watching or rowing, nothing says summer fun quite like gliding along our own crooked river.
