In 2024, our latest Allies with Oars team is training for Race Around the Rock, an 88k coastal relay race in August around Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada.

The Allies with Oars initiative is part of our larger mission to disrupt and expand the narrative about rowing culture. USRowing awarded Steady State Network the 2024 Anita DeFrantz Award which recognizes an individual or organization achieving measurable success in expanding diversity opportunities in rowing.

Allies with Oars will have 2 boats in Race Around The Rock 2024. Both boats are coastal coxed quads. Each boat will have 6 team members assigned, and rowers will be changed out, relay style, at required checkpoints, and at additional optional checkpoints if needed.

Coastal boats are designed for harsher conditions than traditional rowing shells are. They include features such as a wide hull, self-bailing, and a postive center of gravity. Think of coastal boats as mountain bikes compared to traditional shells as road bikes.