From left, Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association team members Sean Halberg, Quinn Peterson, Amanda Chan, Abby Cassel and Haverly Peterson compete in the Rat Island Regatta. (Courtesy of OPRA)

From left, Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association team members Sean Halberg, Quinn Peterson, Amanda Chan, Abby Cassel and Haverly Peterson compete in the Rat Island Regatta. (Courtesy of OPRA)

OLYMPIC PENINSULA ROWING ASSOCIATION: Four OPRA boats take first at Rat Island Regatta

PORT TOWNSEND— Four boats from the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association traveled to Port Townsend on Saturday to compete in the 30th annual Rat Island Regatta, with all four boats victorious.

In the flatwater quad division, the team of Teig Carlson, Noah Oberly, Quince Chanway and Mason Mai blazed around the 2.9-mile short course in a time of 19 minutes, 57.7 seconds, finishing first.

The short course was added as an option in 2013, and since that time only one other boat had finished the course in under 20 minutes, an 8-oared boat from Kitsap Rowing Association in 2019.

Chris Swain and Ann Patterson finished first in In the open water double in a time of 35:57.4.

In the open water coxed quad race, the team of Quinn Peterson, Amanda Chan, Abby Cassel, Haverly Peterson and coxswain Sean Halberg finished first in their division with a time of 37:59.3.

On the long course, Cooper Disque was the first across the line in the open water single II division, completing the 7.8-mile course in 1:10:14.4.

The Sequim Bay Yacht Club’s open water coxed quad boat consisting of Carolyn and Frank DeSalvo, Christi Jolly, Jeanne Neal and coxswain Amy Holms crossed the line in 1:10:20.3, finishing first .

Complete results are available here: https://tinyurl.com/RatIsland2024.

Next up for OPRA is the Western Canadian Beach Sprint Championship in Victoria, B.C., on June 29 and the Budd Inlet regatta in Olympia on July 13. OPRA will host the Port Angeles Beach Sprint Regatta at Hollywood Beach on August 3-4.

OPRA is just starting its summer season. Programs are available for seventh grade to adult rowers, and a fourth- through sixth-grade session will be available in August. More information is available at PArowing.org or by emailing RowWithOPRA@outlook.com.