Settle down and lean it back for a power ten, as the EBRC will always provide you with the latest news in rowing, from stroke to bow…

Got a story to tell? Contact us and we’ll put the word out.

The noble JLAC, a hub of activity each and every morning.

The East Bay Rowing Club was formed in March of 2011 from the ashes of the Jack London Aquatic Center (JLAC) masters rowing program.

Masters rowing at Jack London begin in the fall of 2007 when 10 women arrived at Boat Bay 1 to learn how to row under the guidance of Coach Peggy Johnston. They quickly became a competitive team, entering as many regattas as they could find. The young club began winning races and in 2010 a men’s club was formed, coached by Dave Adams of Oakland Strokes (Being too heavy for the lighter weight women’s shells, the men took to the water in a vintage Graeme King wooden eight which turned a few heads at their first regattas!).

The fall of 2010 brought with it rumors that JLAC was struggling financially and might fold, due in part to City of Oakland budget cuts. But like good rowers, the women and men of the masters team did not let this phase them and continued rowing. In the winter of 2010, the Board of Directors of JLAC terminated their Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Oakland, returning control of the Boathouse to the City on January 31, 2011.

By the end of February, the Boathouse had been locked, the locks changed and all activities suspended – leaving the former JLAC rowers to figure out what to do and determining their own destiny.

With no access to the boats and equipment, the team held land practices and through the generosity of the Lake Merritt Rowing Club, held a few water practices at Lake Merritt, using equipment generously lent to the team. In the meantime, a new JLAC usage agreement was negotiated with the City of Oakland Dept. of Parks and Recreation (OPR) and within a month the team had regained access to the boathouse.

A passionate and dedicated group, the former JLAC rowers began working with OPR to establish a purchase plan to buy back the rowing equipment from the City. Funding the purchase entirely from their own pockets, they borrowed a launch, opened a bank account, and insured the boats and filed paperwork with the State of California to establish their own non-profit rowing club.

The group, renamed the East Bay Rowing Club (EBRC), was officially established on March 1, 2011, led by Head Coach Sabrina Hunter. Coach Reba Knickerbocker arrived in an interim capacity in the fall of 2011, and stepped into the position of Head Coach a few months later.

Under Coach Knickerbocker, the East Bay Rowing Club has flourished. EBRC now hosts annual winter and spring Learn To Row events as well as one on National Learn To Row Day. The effort has paid off with a combined men’s and women’s team numbering over 80.

Led by an experienced and dedicated coaching staff, the club has steadily made a name for itself, competing and medaling at numerous regional regattas, as well as participating in friendly scrimmages with other local clubs. EBRC participates on the national level with regular entries at the San Diego Crew Classic and is excited to have been accepted into Boston’s Head Of The Charles Regatta for the Fall of 2012.

Help us lift this boat up and overhead by sponsoring the non-profit EBRC today!

The East Bay Rowing Club is growing in members and racing wins. As a result, we have hopes for both the healthy growth of the club and as well as for equipment to train and race in. We are looking for sponsorship and support to help in this growth and look forward to working with you on promotion, visibility and advertising for your company or yourself as an individual sponsor.

Rowing promotes teamwork, dedication and fun. If you would like to promote your company or business as in line with these values then what better sponsorship opportunity that a rowing club? We are happy to develop an individual and tailored approach for our sponsors depending on budgets and objectives.

Gold Sponsorship    $5,000 – $10,000

• Boat Naming rights for an eight-seat boat ($10k)
• Boat Naming rights for a four-seat boat ($5k)
• Branding on all EBRC digital properties (Newsletter & Website)
• EBRC Tent Signage

Blue Sponsorship    $2,500 – $5,000

• Branding of an Oar Set
• Branding on all EBRC digital properties (Newsletter & Website)
• EBRC Tent Signage

Green Sponsorship    $500 – $2,500

• Brass Nameplate on a gunwale
• Individual Oar Naming Rights

The East Bay Rowing Club is grateful for the support of businesses and individuals and would be happy to keep you updated on all club activities – which Regattas we are entering, how we do in the standings and how the club is growing in size and function. Please contact us today for any sponsorship questions.

The men and women of the EBRC would love to come row in your regatta!
Please contact us to see if our schedule allows.

• 2013
• 2012
• 2011

• 30-June-2013

  SW Regional Sprints

  Oakland, CA

  9-Apr-2013

  Gold Rush Regatta

  Sacramento, CA

  Women’s Nov 1x : 1st

  Women’s Nov 4x-C : 2nd

  Women’s 4x-E : 2nd

  Women’s Nov 8x-E : 1st

  Women’s 4x-D : 2nd

  Women’s 8x-E : 1st

  Men’s Nov 4-D : 1st

  Men’s Nov 8-D : 1st

  9-Apr-2013

  San Diego Crew Classic

  San Diego, CA

  Men’s Club A : 5th

  Women’s Club A : 6th

  Men’s Masters C : 6th

  Women’s Masters D : 5th

• 11-Nov-2012

  Head of the Lagoon

  Foster City, CA

  Men’s M 8+ : 2nd

  Women’s M 4+ : 2nd

  Women’s MN 8+ : 2nd

  Women’s M 8+ : 2nd, 14th

  Men’s M 4+ : 4th, 9th

  Men’s MN 4+ : 1st

  Men’s Open 2x : 1st

  20-Oct-2012

  48th Head of the Charles

  Boston, MA

  Women’s 4+ (50+): 10th

  Men’s 4+ (40+): 11th

  Men’s 8+ (40+): 21st

  7-Oct-2012

  Wine Country Classic

  Petaluma, CA

  Men’s M 8+ : 6th

  Women’s M 4+ : 4th, 5th, 6th

  Men’s M 4+ : 5th, 6th

  Women’s M 8+ : 6th

  Women’s M 8+ : 3rd, 5th

  Men’s MN 8+ : 1st

  19-May-2012

  Gold Rush Regatta

  Lake Natoma, CA

  Men’s 1x : 6th

  Men’s Novice 1x : 4th, 6th, 7th

  Women’s 4+A : 5th

  Men’s 2x E : 4th

  Women’s Novice 4+ : 3rd

  Women’s 4+ E : 1st

  Men’s Novice 8+ : 6th

  Women’s 8+ A-B : 4th

  Women’s Novice 8+ : 2nd

  Women’s 4+ D : 3rd

  Men’s 4x : 6th

  Women’s 8+ D : 2nd

  Women’s 8+ E : 3rd

  Mixed Novice 8+ : 4th

  1-July-2012

  Southwest Regionals

  Lake Merritt, CA

  Women’s 8+ D : 4th

  Men’s 1x : 7th

  Men’s Novice 1x : 3rd, 4th

  Women’s 4+ A : 4th

  Women’s Novice 4+ : 2nd

  Women’s 4+ E : 1st

  Men’s Novice 4+ : 1st, 3rd

  Men’s 2x : 5th

  Women’s Novice 8+ : 1st

  Men’s 4x : 7th

  Men’s 4+ B-C : 4th

  Women’s 8+ C : 4th

  Men’s 8+ AA-C : 6th

  Women’s 8+ E : 3rd

• 21-May-2011

  Gold Rush Regatta

  Lake Natoma, CA

  Women’s 8+ A-C : 3rd

  Women’s 8+ Novice : 3rd

  Men’s Novice 4+ : 1st

  Men’s 8+ B-D : 5th

  Women’s 4+ : 1st, 5th

  10-July-2011

  Southwest Regionals

  Lake Merritt, CA

  Women’s 4+ A : 3rd

  Women’s Novice 4+ : 1st

  Men’s 8+ D-F : 6th

  Women’s Novice 8+ : 2nd

  Women’s 4+ C : 3rd

  Men’s Novice 8+ : 1st

  Women’s 4+ D : 4th

  Women’s 8+ E : 4th

  9-Oct-2011

  Head of the Port

  Sacramento, CA

  Women’s 8+ : 8th, 13th

  Men’s 8+ : 6th

  19-Oct-2011

  Head of the American

  Lake Natoma, CA

  Women’s 4+ : 4th

  Men’s Novice 4+ : 1st

  Women’s Novice 8+ : 1st

  Men’s 8+ : 7th

  Women’s 8+ : 13th, 16th

  11-Nov-2011

  Bair Island Fall Regatta

  Bair Island, CA

  Women’s 4+ D : 1st

  Women’s Novice 8+ : 2nd

  Men’s Novice 4+ : 1st

  Women’s 8+ C : 4th

  Men’s 4+ C : 1st

If you’re with good friends, getting up early is actually pretty easy.

• Q: Do I need to have experience to join the EBRC?
• No, not at all – we welcome all levels. On any given morning, we have everything from first-time rowers to former national team members down at the boathouse.
• Q: When do you meet?
• It varies, but generally water workouts are three days a week at 5:15am, with informal land workouts the other three days. On Sundays, we rest and sometimes get waffles. Contact us for specific times.
• Q: Where do you meet/race?
• Practices are at the Jack London Aquatic Center, often spanning the surrounding jogging trails. Rain or shine. The advanced team attends national, international and regional competitions while the beginning and intermediate rowers attend primarily regional competition – as far away as Sacramento and as nearby as the waters of our own home base – the Oakland Estuary.
• Q: Any age requirements?
• We’ve got young and old at the EBRC. Rowers range in age from 20′s to late 70′s and counting (Masters level starts in mid-20′s, after college). We’re also planning on accommodating High School rowers with some of our Youth Programs later this year.
• Q: Sounds great, but how much does it cost?
• Member dues range between $300-400 dollars a quarter. Compare that cost to a gym and/or personal trainer!
• Q: Is this a serious team sport?
• We take our dedication to the sport seriously, but would like to think we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
• Q: Are you ever looking for coxswains?
• Yes, yes and yes. Drop what you’re doing right now and come down to the JLAC – we’ll meet you there at sun-up, carrying bags of gold and gratitude. Please yell at us, steadfast coxswain, we’re incomplete without you.
• Q: What are these ERGs I’ve heard so much about?
• Ah yes, the inevitable ERG question. Ergonomic rowing machines are what we use to train off the water. When you’re at the gym next, give it a go – they’re nothing but fun and relaxation!
• Q: What’s it like rowing on the estuary?
• Whether rowing in the shadow of those big Port of Oakland cranes or passing the Coast Guard cutters while reveille is playing – watching the sun come up each morning on the water can’t be beat. Come on down, the water’s fine!
• Q: Do you do any corporate / morale building events?
• Yes! Schedule an event with the EBRC and your co-workers to find out how working together helps move the boat on the water. We’d love to host your company, to help build up your co-operative and competitive juices, as well as show you a side of Oakland that few ever get to see.
• Q: What else do I need to know?
• You’ll need to know how to swim, as well as watch a compelling safety video, provided to us by US Rowing.

Youth Rowing Program

East Bay Rowing Club manages the Oakland Technical High School rowing program.  Beginning in 2012, EBRC responded to the requests of youth and parents that were interested in developing the rowing program.  Working with the parents, EBRC has committed the equipment, coaching  and water access to train and develop youth’s understanding of teamwork, health and fitness, respect for the natural environment, safety, and constructive goal-setting through participation in rowing.  EBRC specifically strives to promote the sport of rowing to youth and underserved members of our local community.

The Oakland Tech Rowing Club is registered as a school ‘club’; not supported by funding from the school or the athletic department.  Oakland Tech Rowing Club will soon begin the process of fundraising to acquire a small fleet of shells, oars and accessories to sustain growth and hone a competitive edge. With the club being kept within 10-15 athletes in the first year, many races will be focused on rowing Novice 4+’s and a mixed 8+’s.  Please contact us if you would like to learn more about this program.

Sign ups for the OTR Summer Rowing Camps are currently open, please see the Oakland Tech Summer Camps link or contact the coach Axel rowing@oaklandtech.org.

Learn to Row Events

Throughout the year, East Bay Rowing Club extends opportunities to the community to participate in Learn to Row events.   No knowledge of rowing is necessary, and people of all ages and fitness levels are encouraged to attend.  Our primary event is held on the first Saturday of June, which is National Learn to Row Day, when we hold a three-hour class that instructs on parts of the boat, rowing terminology, the rowing stroke (practicing on an erg), and rowing in our barge.  After attending the session, interested participants are given the opportunity to join the club as beginner rowers.  Our coaching staff is experienced in training beginner to advanced rowers.  We also hold focused learn to row events throughout the year for the general public, corporations, military veterans and the general community.  Please contact us to schedule an event, or to learn about the next scheduled introductory session.

Crew Fitness

Throughout the year East Bay Rowing club holds “Fitness Crew” sessions. These sessions meet twice a week for about 10 weeks total. These sessions focus on general fitness based around the rowing motion for a total body workout. No experience is required to join this no-impact, high intensity workout group. The sessions are normally held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 11am. Please contact us to find out more about and when the next session starts.

Masters Rowing Program

The East Bay Rowing Club masters program consists of beginner, intermediate and advanced rowers with ages ranging from mid 20’s to mid 70’s.  Rowers practice and compete in a variety of rowing and sculling shells, including 8+’s, 4+’s, pairs, singles, doubles, and quads.  The training programs focus on all aspects of rowing, and include participation in regional and national regattas.

 The Masters program welcomes experienced rowers as well as those with no rowing background.  The Learn to Row events are typically used as an introduction to new participants, allowing groups of beginner rowers learn the basics together.  Adults of all fitness levels are welcome.  If you are interested in learning if East Bay Rowing Club is right for you, please contact us- we would love to talk with you and introduce you to the team.

 The men’s team practices on M, W, F at 5:20AM  - 7:30 AM, with optional land workouts on T, TH, and Saturday mornings.  Women practice times are T, TH (5:20 AM – 7:30 AM), Saturday (6:00 AM – 7:30 AM) with optional land practices on M, W mornings.  Both water and land workouts are planned by our coaches for race conditioning and ongoing fitness improvements.