Photos by Danny Fulgencio
Boats have been a staple at White Rock Lake for decades — the original art-deco boathouse at T&P Hill was built in 1930 to support recreational activities on the lake.
Since 2004, it has been the home base for White Rock Rowing, a club made up of more than 100 local youth who row competitively in regattas all over the country. Last season proved to be a stellar one for the team, which won 38 medals in four major contests this fall. That included an impressive 12 medals at the Head of the Brazos regatta in Waco, 14 at the Head of the Colorado, and 12 at the Oklahoma Regatta Festival. At the ultra-competitive Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, Tenn., 13 of the team’s boats finished within 10 percent of the race’s winning time, earning them automatic entry into next year’s contest. Under the direction of head coach Ed Golding, the team is currently back in training, ready to launch the spring season this March.
Across the lake on the northeast side, Dallas United Crew has already started the spring season with some notable wins, including top finishes at its three opening competitions. At the Austin Invitational Regatta, the high school teams picked up six medals, including four first-places. Another 13 medals were earned at the S.W.E.A.T. Indoor Rowing Competition and at the C.R.A.S.H.-b National Championships, the varsity men’s team earned a bronze and a fastest-time record. The teams feature more than 100 Dallas students who hail from 17 different schools, including Woodrow Wilson and Bryan Adams.
In addition to the youth teams, both White Rock Rowing and DUC have teams for adults, including ones for breast cancer survivors and adaptive rowing for the disabled. Plus, they offer single-day classes for those who just want to get out on the lake and give the sport a try.
