The spring 2025 rowing season is underway! Check back here for updates on each of our team’s exciting regatta experiences.
Scrimmage with Alexandria City High School – March 22, 2025
It was a joy to kick off our season with a decades-long tradition—our annual scrimmage against the Titans of Alexandria City High School. We enjoyed a beautiful morning of racing followed by a fun and delicious pancake brunch, and we’re so grateful to the Titans for hosting us at the Dee Campbell Rowing Center in Old Town. “I love that we start our racing season in this way each year,” said Head Coach Kara McPhillips. “There were some fantastic moments, but the one consistent thing I saw was each boat trying their hardest. It just keeps getting better from here.”
Noxontown Regatta, St. Andrew’s School, Middletown, DE – March 29, 2025
We had beautiful weather for W-L’s first official 2025 regatta at the idyllic St. Andrew’s School. Eleven boats competed, with all winning 4th place or higher. And each and every boat gave it their all and made marked improvement. A special congratulations to the Boys 3V8 and Girls N8B who placed first in their heats, and sincere thanks to all the family members and friends who made the long drive to feed the team and cheer us on. Go Generals!
- Boys V8 – 4th place
- Boys 2V8 – 2nd place
- Boys 3V8 – 1st place
- Boys F8 – 4th place
- Boys N8A – 2nd place
- Boys N8B – 3rd place
- Girls 1V8 – 3rd place
- Girls 2V8 – 4th place
- Girls 3V8 – 3rd place
- Girls F8 – 3rd place
- Girls N8B – 1st place
Darrell Winslow Regatta, Fairfax Station, VA – April 5, 2025
The team continued to perform at the Darrell Winslow Regatta. Hosted by the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association, the event took place on the Occoquan River and drew teams from across the region. W-L raced nine boats with very good results. Our Boys and Girls 1V8s and 2V8s all advanced to the finals, and our Boys 3V8 placed 1st. Congratulations to everyone on a terrific showing!
- Boys V8 – 5th place
- Boys 2V8 – 3rd place
- Boys 3V8 – 1st place
- Boys F8 – 3rd place
- Boys N8A – 3rd place
- Girls V8 – 5th place
- Girls 2V8 – 5th place
- Girls 3V8 – 2nd place
- Girls F8 – 2nd place
Ted Phoenix Regatta, Fairfax Station, VA – April 12, 2025
Despite the strong wind and chilly temps, the team had a good showing at the Ted Phoenix Regatta. The coaches send special shoutouts to all of the rowers who double (or triple) rowed to fill in boats. We also salute our Girls Novice 4, which is proving to be our most resilient boat. At Ted Phoenix, their race was cancelled due to conditions on the water, but they came back to the dock with smiles on their faces. We really appreciate their attitude and congratulate the entire team on a great event.
- Boys V8 – 3rd in heat
- Boys 2V8 – 4th place
- Boys 3V8 – 2nd in heat
- Boys F8 – 4th in heat
- Boys N8A (exhibition) – 2nd in heat
- Girls V8 – 5th place
- Girls 2V8 – 6th place
- Girls 3V8 – 3rd in heat
- Girls F8 – 2nd in heat
Charlie Butt Regatta, Washington, D.C. – April 26, 2025
We always love our marquee regatta, the Charlie Butt, named in honor of W-L’s founding coach. This was our first year launching from Columbia Island Marina (CIM) for this regatta, and it was a great success. Our spectators cheered us on from the banks of Washington Harbor in Georgetown, and then followed us to CIM for our annual picnic for athletes, families, and alumni. It proved to be a spectacular place to host our celebration, and we thank all of the volunteers who set-up, grilled, served, cooked, donated, and cleaned up. It was quite a weekend!
- Boys V8 – 2nd place (petite row-off)
- Boys 2V8 – 4th place (petite row-off)
- Boys 3V8 – 2nd place
- Boys F8 – 3rd place
- Boys N8 – 3rd place
- Girls V8 – 1st place (petite row-off)
- Girls 2V8 – 2nd place
- Girls 3V8 – 2nd place
- Girls N4 – 3rd place
- Girls F8 – 2nd place
Virginia State Rowing Championship – Day 1, Fairfax Station, VA – May 3, 2025
What a day! W-L’s freshman, novice, and third varsity boats raced at the state championship for a very exciting day of rowing. We congratulate our Girls Freshman 8, who came in second and qualified to compete at Nationals, as well as our Boys 3V8, who took second place in their final! There were other triumphs, as well. For example, our Boys Freshman 8 advanced to the finals and took a close fifth place with their fastest time of the season. And the Girls Novice 4 had an excellent race in an extremely fast heat. They finished third, missing the chance to advance to finals by only a few seconds. The Boys Novice 8 was also grouped with a fast heat and narrowly missed advancing. Both of these boats had one of their fastest races despite not making it to the finals. We are immensely proud of our lower boats and the strides they’ve made this spring. On to Day 2!
- Boys 3V8 – 2nd place
- Boys F8 – 5th place
- Girls 3V8 – 5th place
- Girls F8 – 2nd place
Virginia State Rowing Championship – Day 2, Fairfax Station, VA – May 10, 2025
Our upper boats gave it their all on Day 2 of the Virginia State Rowing Championship, and we couldn’t be prouder of the determination and heart shown by our Boys and Girls 1V8s and 2V8s. In a thrilling photo finish, the Boys 1V8 clinched second place in their heat, earning a well-deserved spot in the finals. The Girls 1V8 powered through to take third in their Petite Final, and both of our 2V boats rowed strong in highly competitive heats, with the Girls advancing to the final. Though we didn’t leave with medals, our Varsity rowers leave with something far more enduring—the pride of pushing limits and working as a team. This weekend was a testament to their growth, teamwork, and unshakable spirit. Go Generals!
- Boys 1V8 – 2nd in Heat, 6th in Final
- Boys 2V8 – 4th in Heat
- Girls 1V8 – 3rd in Petite Finals
- Girls 2V8 – 2nd in Heat, 6th in Final
Stotesbury Cup Regatta, Philadelphia, PA – May 16-17, 2025
This year’s Stotesbury Cup Regatta delivered its fair share of surprises. Washington-Liberty brought strong entries in our Boys and Girls Freshman 8s, Junior 8s and 4s—nearly all of which qualified for the semi-finals after impressive performances in Friday’s timed trials.
Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. After an afternoon of storms and delays, we woke to the disappointing news that all Saturday racing was canceled due to unsafe river conditions. It was heartbreaking for our crews who were ready to battle for medals.
Still, there was cause for celebration: the Boys Junior 8 earned a bronze medal based on their exceptional time in the timed trials—an incredible accomplishment and a testament to their hard work.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Stotesbury was as unforgettable as ever. From great racing and team spirit to amazing food and camaraderie, it was one of our strongest showings in recent years. A heartfelt thank-you to all the athletes, coaches and volunteers who made this experience possible.
Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) Nationals – Pennsauken Township, NJ – May 23-24, 2025
W-L proudly raced three boats at Nationals this year: the Girls Freshman 8, Boys Junior 8, and Girls Junior 8. We’re thrilled to share that all three advanced to the semi-finals—a remarkable achievement—and two of them went on to reach the finals.
In the finals, our Girls Freshman 8 finished 6th, and the Boys Junior 8 took an impressive 4th place, both competing against some of the fastest crews in the country. While there was understandable disappointment in coming so close to the podium, we couldn’t be prouder. Every crew gave it their all and defied expectations, busting more than a few brackets along the way.
“This same spirit was true of all our boats at States,” said Head Coach Kara McPhillips. “This team has given everything this season. Once the dust settles and we’ve had a chance to recover, we’ll use this as fuel for next year.”
Congrats to our Generals on a remarkable 2025 season!
