Course could row Everett into prominence

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, August 4, 2001

By Kate Reardon

Herald Writer

Dawn.

The fiery orange sun slowly rises over the evergreens as the fog lifts from the Snohomish River.

Water.

Moving away from Everett’s Langus Park, eight oars break the water’s glassy skin — whish.

Crew.

Six inches above the waterline, eight rowers discover a retreat from hectic lives. They pull together.

"I love the energy that it gives me and helps me be totally ready, relaxed, stretched and energized," rower Michele Hoverter said. "It’s very powerful."

Hoverter and supporters hope to put Everett on the international map with a man-made, world-class rowing course that could attract college, national or even international competitions.

Supporters say Everett could become a destination for tourism and sports, filling an unmet need for rowing, promoting economic development, enhancing and expanding recreational opportunities and restoring habitat.

"It would really put Everett on the map, because there really isn’t a course like that anywhere on the West Coast," said Rhonda Mills, president of the Everett Rowing Association.

The idea has floated around since the early 1990s, when Bob Cummins, then president of the Everett Rowing Association, began talking about it. It was more of a pie-in-the-sky idea then, Cummins said.

He continues to work on the concept with Hoverter.

"I see a need in the Northwest to raise the whole level of rowing up a notch," said Cummins, who has two kids who raced with U.S. national rowing teams that won world championship titles. "It will depend upon many of us getting out there and spreading the word. Most people haven’t seen anything like this, and it’s tough for them to conceptualize."

Even today, there’s still much more detail work to be done on the concept. But Hoverter is making headway.

She already has support or encouragement from many in the regional rowing community, including the Everett Rowing Association, University of Washington crew coaches, the George Pocock Rowing Foundation and the USRowing Association’s Northwest region.

The late Dick Erickson, the former University of Washington crew coach, who with his wife, Irma, had been active in Everett’s rowing program over the years, strongly supported the idea.

Hoverter has pitched the concept for a $6 million to $10 million venue at city-owned property southeast of Lowell to city leaders, community members, the rowing community, designers and environmental biologists.

"It would bring a prestige, honor and recognition to Everett," Hoverter said, acknowledging more detail work would need to be done.

Supporters said corporate, private and grant money could help pay for the project.

Hoverter said she’d like to see it come together through a public-private partnership. City backing is essential, she said. That support could range from the city’s blessing to more substantial support, such as providing land or money, she said.

The city currently owns 300 acres of floodplain southeast of Lowell and is working on a master park plan for the property. Ideas for the land include a golf course for kids, sports fields, trails and a climbing rock. The city planning commission and city council have not yet considered the park plan.

Hoverter said that with a rowing center Everett could have regattas, clinics, training camps and time trials, as well as kayak and canoe events.

Rowers from the area have historically been successful. At least three rowers from Snohomish County have competed in Olympic rowing competition. Rowing is becoming more popular, especially among women.

The Everett Rowing Association, with more than 200 members, offers rowing classes on the Snohomish River through a partnership with the Everett parks department.

City leaders have said they are interested in a rowing venue, but there could be significant hurdles.

"I’m very excited about the possibility of it being here," Everett City Councilman Bob Overstreet said. "I’m sure it would be a strong economic engine and nicely supplement other events."

However, Overstreet said he isn’t sure what the city’s role should be.

"I think there could be a partnership, (but) local government doesn’t have the funds to back anything like this."

Rowers do compete at various courses around the area, such as in the Columbia River in Vancouver, Wash. But even that grand river has unsavory conditions for races and is more known for its windsurfing than rowing.

A man-made course allows for the optimum amount of fairness when racing, Hoverter said.

"I can tell you this scope of facility does not really exist in the United States," UW head crew coach Bob Ernst told city council members at a recent meeting. "There is no doubt in my mind that this facility would be useful not only to the University of Washington, but to other programs."

Evergreen Middle School teacher Marty Beyer, whose foresight about 20 years ago was what brought rowing to Everett, supports the concept.

"It would be an incredible thing," he said.

But why Everett?

Bruce Beall, executive director of the George Pocock Rowing Foundation in Seattle, said Everett would be a natural.

"It would have enough infrastructure to allow events like that to happen," he said. "This is Everett’s chance to get ahead in the great game and be leaders in rowing."

You can call Herald Writer Kate Reardon at 425-339-3455

or send e-mail to reardon@heraldnet.com.