After six months of training, Steady State Network’s Allies with Oars’ first coastal – and first international – race is a wrap! Two Allies With Oars mixed 4x+ crews spent the better part of Aug. 25, 2024 circumnavigating an 88k course around Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, for Race Around the Rock, hosted by Salt Spring Island Rowing Club. We got a little bit of everything: flat water, rolling waves, eddies, boat wakes, seals, massive jellyfish, excitement at the start line, confidence, pain cave suffering, and elation at the finish line.

Post-race, and with beverages in hand, the team sat down together to relive some highlights (and low lights) and share what made the experience so meaningful.

Thanks to all our family and friends for volunteering to lend a hand throughout race weekend. We couldn’t have made it around this rock without you.

Thanks to our race sponsors: JL Racing, Live2Row Studios, and Racing Hands.

QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Episode Lead-In and Welcome

02:02 - Six months of training with Live2Row Studios

05:20 - Favorite part of the race

08:53 - Challenges of the race

14:45 - Imposter syndrome and getting hooked

16:36 - Race day success was only possible with a lot of help from teammates, friends, and family

20:55 - Race day firsts

22:25 - About the Allies with Oars initiative

26:25 - ”Thank yous”

28:46 - What’s up next for Allies?

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To see photos of the Allies with Oars crew, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Live2Row Studios, Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Patrons.

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Steady State Podcast is written, produced, hosted, and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering and is our sponsor coordinator. Rachel manages the website, social media, and e-newsletter. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.

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Follow us on FB and IG at @steadystatenetwork

As part of our semi-regular club spotlight series, we cross the northern border into British Columbia, Canada to learn more about Salt Spring Island Rowing Club. Steady State Network's own Allies with Oars crews were just on the island for the Club's 88k coastal rowing regatta – Race Around the Rock.

Meet Salt Spring Island Rowing Club head coach Stacey Mitchell, RAR race director Zoe Clark, and new(ish) master's sculler Michael Strumberger. Together they embody the enthusiasm, passion, and motivation necessary to build and sustain this small town rowing club.

QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Episode Lead-In and Welcome

01:55 - The Huddle

03:37 - Rowing Week on a scale of 1-10

06:40 - The Hot Seat Q&A

11:22 - Stacy’s LTR story started with a swimming injury

14:24 - Michael’s “very casual relationship with fitness” shifted when he decided to try the gym erg

17:18 - Zoe’s rowing journey started with gnarly hands from hours on the monkey bars

20:02 - Why keep coming back to rowing?

26:59 - Salt Spring Rowing Club is small and growing!

32:22 - SSI members

34:08 - A rowing morning on St. Mary’s Lake starts with a quiet trip down a dirt road

37:20 - Race Around the Rock

49:50 - SSN's Allies with Oars: ruffling feathers to push the boundary of “mixed” lineups

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To see photos of Stacy, Zoe, and Michael, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Live2Row Studios, Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Patrons.

.

Steady State Podcast is written, produced, hosted, and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering and is our sponsor coordinator. Rachel manages the website, social media, and e-newsletter. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.

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Follow us on FB and IG at @steadystatenetwork

Inspired by his parents from an early age to work hard, Julien Bahain became a 3-time Olympian and an Olympic medalist. He’s been involved with rowing for 25 years, taking on multiple disciplines including flat water, coastal, and ocean rowing.

Over the years, his involvement in the sport has grown too, from organizing World Rowing Championships and helping establish OARCA, to founding West Coast Rowing Adventures with his wife Katie. Together their goal is to grow coastal rowing and share the beauty of British Columbia.

QUICK LOOK

00:11 - Pre-Show Banter 01:08 - Welcome 01:55 - Episode Lead-In 05:08 - The Huddle 06:38 - Rowing Week on a scale of 1-10 09:10 - The Hot Seat Q&A 13:19 - Julien’s rowing origin story 15:52 - “Work hard, do it well, and do your best” was instilled from a young age by his parents 18:48 - Coastal rowing in Julien’s life from LTR to organizing World Rowing Championships 21:20 - Establishing OARCA 22:52 - Coastal as an alternative access to rowing for people around the world 27:47 - The perfect stroke is found in a perfect moment 30:42 - Honing his Olympic rowing color commentary for the CBC 35:38 - Founding West Coast Rowing Adventures 37:24 - Race Around the Rock 40:38 - Thoughts on the proliferation of ocean rowing races 44:18 - A lifetime of rowing leads to an ever-growing community “family”

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To see photos of Julien, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Live2Row Studios, Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Patrons.

.

Steady State Podcast is written, produced, hosted, and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering and is our sponsor coordinator. Rachel manages the website, social media, and e-newsletter. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.