Making a home
The UW men's crew team stands with the Varsity Cup.
Guest post by Meredith Brothers
From the beginnings of UW Rowing in 1901 and the famous rivalry races with California, the UW has gone on to become national champions many times. The first time the UW participated in the “Varsity Challenge Cup” was in the early 19 teens.
Finish Carpentry Lead Ed McKinley stands with the Varsity Cup case built by his team of finish carpenters in Facilities Construction.
UW has won the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA), National Championship Regatta, many times beginning in the 1920s. When they won in 1936, they went on to the Olympic trials in Poughkeepsie, New Jersey. They became the champions of the nation and the world by winning the Olympic Gold Medal in Berlin as described in the New York Times bestseller The Boys in the Boat.
Back in 1880 only five schools competed in intercollegiate racing. Now the top 24 schools qualifying in match and duel races compete annually at the National Championship Regatta. The UW won the regatta five years in a row since 2011 but in early June lost to California at West Windsor, New Jersey and relinquished the cup. The cup was first presented to the IRA by Dr. Louis Seaman of Cornell University in 1898 and first awarded to the University of Pennsylvania in the same year. It was created by silversmith Theodore B. Starr.
Michael Callahan, Head Coach of UW Rowing, commissioned a new travel case for the exquisite silver champion’s cup before the trip. The priceless cup is securely held by just a “taste of the UW” in purple velvet! Ed McKinley of the Facilities Maintenance & Construction group designed and built a secure inner case and an outer traveling case. It will remain in perfect shape for the trip back to Washington in future years!
