Who We Are

Inspired by the news that the 1998 Gay Games in Amsterdam would include rowing, the "Bay Area Rowing Club" was formed in 1996 by a group of gay and lesbian rowers. The club was renamed the "San Francisco Bay Blades" prior to the Amsterdam Games where its members won gold in two events and bronze in a third.

Since it's founding, the San Francisco Bay Blades has entered local and regional regattas with noteworthy results. While rowing was not an event at the 2002 Gay Games in Sydney, the San Francisco Bay Blades had the opportunity to compete on an Olympic rowing course at the 2006 Outgames in Montreal, winning gold in two events.

We continue to participate in local and regional regattas and look forward to entering the 2009 Outgames in Copenhagen, and the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne.

The San Francisco Bay Blades welcomes rowers and coxswains with all levels of experience to participate at either a recreational or competitive level.

Competitive Rowing

The competitive program of the SFBB consists of like-minded athletes dedicated to competing in local, regional, national, and international events under the banner of the San Francisco Bay Blades. This program is coached by a USRA certified coach and requires a higher level of commitment and rowing ability. The SFBB competitive rowers attended the 2006 Outgames in Montreal and competed in the USRowing Southwest Regional Masters Championship in 2006 and 2007 along with the Lake Merritt Sprints.

Rowers in this program are expected to have a higher level of commitment to training on and off the water.

Recreational Rowing

Many members enjoy less intense rowing, and Sunday morning practices are generally the best attended practices by both recreational and competitive rowers alike. Sunday practices are usually followed by brunch.

SFBB 2008 Board

President
Rob Ruetsch
president@sfbayblades.com

Secretary
Shawn Burke
secretary@sfbayblades.com

Treasurer
Al Chase
treasurer@sfbayblades.com

LMRC Liaison
Mike Bowles
lmrc@sfbayblades.com

Member-at-Large
Anthony Porter
memberatlarge@sfbayblades.com

SFBB Staff

Recruitment Coordinator
Lee Jewell
recruiter@sfbayblades.com