A group getting their first orientation, with rowing machines visible in the background.

June 8, 2025 - National Come Try Rowing Day

Updated on
National Come Try Rowing Day 2025 Logo
On Sunday, June 8th, the Gorge Narrows Rowing Club proudly joined rowing clubs across the country to host National Come Try Rowing Day — and what a day it was!

Beautiful sunshine and calm waters made for the perfect day to introduce new people to the sport. Spirits were high and the dock was buzzing with excitement. 180 people registered for the event, with 141 taking to the water, 45 of which were walk ons, curious and eager to try their hand at rowing. Each guest started their journey with a fun and interactive orientation station, learning the parts of the boat and the safety basics. From there, they moved to the rowing machines where they practiced the stroke—and the art of timing with their crewmates! Then came the highlight: participants were grouped in threes and placed in a quad with an experienced rower in the bow. Out on the Gorge for 20–30 glorious minutes, they rowed in sync, laughed, splashed, and experienced firsthand the rhythm and beauty of the sport. Back on land, the 250m erg challenge brought out the competitive spirit. Winners scored free drop-in rowing lessons (and some serious bragging rights). We were excited to see 7 new registrations on the day of the event!

We were thrilled to be joined by OneAbility, who hosted an info station with coffee, baked goods, and updates on adaptive programming and the 2026 OneAbility Games.

Photos were also taken by Sadie Green and Jeremy Hunter on hand capturing drone footage and photos throughout the day—stay tuned to our socials and website for highlights!

We received a wave of kind words from participants, including:

Everyone here is so friendly. It felt like I was being welcomed into a community, not just a sport.

It was a heartwarming reminder of the power of sport to connect people, spark joy, and build community. Thank you to every participant, volunteer, and partner who helped make this day so memorable.

We can't wait to see you back at the boathouse!

Sponsors

The Jawl Properties logo.

We'd like to extend our thanks to Jawl Properties for their generous support of this event!

We'd also like to thank Fairway Market for keeping our volunteers energized with fruit and granola bars.

Photos

Here are a few photos from the event.

Two quads on the water.
A quad on the water.
Two quads rowing next to each other.
Learning the basics on a rowing machine.
Learning the basics on a rowing machine.
A group on the main dock, with rowing machines in the background.
A quad getting ready to launch on the dock.
The volunteer tent.
The One Ability Games tent.
The Kuku's 'on the Run' food truck.