Lake Stevens lures crew regatta

By Sharon Salyer

Herald Writer

Bob Cummins, long associated with the Everett Rowing Club, is working to bring the Cascade Sprints, a Northwest championship collegiate rowing regatta for Division II and III schools, to Lake Stevens on April 27.

"Right now, Lake Stevens is the venue of choice," Cummins said. "The water is good. You’ve got a real supportive community."

With an estimated 750 participants, including men’s and women’s varsity, junior varsity and novice teams, the regatta could be one of the biggest rowing events ever in Snohomish County, attracting some 1,500 people, Cummins said.

The 2,000-meter course would run from Wyatt Park in the lake’s southwest corner to the north cove area near the city of Lake Stevens.

The annual Cascade Sprints regatta pits male and female crews of eight colleges: Humboldt State University in California; Willamette University and Lewis &Clark College, both in Oregon; and Pacific Lutheran University, Puget Sound University, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University and Western Washington University.

The event generally is hosted by the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Cummins said. Because the lake where the regatta usually is held is scheduled for other activities this year, organizers are looking for another site.

"They called us and said, ‘Would you think about hosting this thing?’" Cummins said.

The first race would begin around 8 a.m., and crews would race every 15 minutes. The event would end in the early afternoon.

City administrator Dave O’Leary said organizers need to get a permit because they’re asking to close off about three blocks of city streets along Main Street and portions of North Lakeshore Drive.

"That’s different than what we’ve done before," O’Leary said. "There’s notification issues to deal with so people know their street will be closed."

Other issues include ensuring access for emergency vehicles, paying for police to work the event, how the streets will be used while they’re closed, and a contract with the state that says fishermen must have access at all times to launch facilities, he said.

"There’s a hundred little details," O’Leary said. Organizers have turned in an application for a right-of-way permit to close the streets.

Despite the logistical questions, a group of downtown merchants recently discussed the possibility of more water-related events on Lake Stevens to draw people to the city, O’Leary said.

City council member Jack Blackwell said that with any such public events, solutions have to be found for parking, dealing with spectators and food.

Nevertheless, he said he backs efforts to bring the regatta to the city. "It would be a plus," he said.

Cummins is an Everett chiropractor who graduated from Everett High School in 1967. He was involved with the Everett Rowing Club for about eight years.

You can call Herald Writer Sharon Salyer at 425-339-3486

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

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