Athlete Spotlight: Isabella Pearson
Meet Isabella, a sophomore and student-athlete at Purdue, who balances a busy academic schedule with her love for rowing, dance, and soccer. Growing up as a competitive gymnast, she never anticipated rowing to become such an integral part of her life. In fact, she was initially reluctant to trade her sparkly leotards for the waters of an estuary, but rowing quickly won her over with its technical demands and the strong sense of teamwork she found on the water. Isabella sat down with JL to share her journey into rowing, her tips for novice rowers, race day rituals, and the role models who inspire her both on and off the water.
Meet the Team: The Arctic Challenge 2025
In 2025, four extraordinary athletes will embark on a mission to row the Arctic Ocean, facing one of the harshest environments on the planet. The Arctic Challenge Team is made up of Hannah and John Huppi, Jimmy Graham, and Andrew Tropp—an adventurous group with shared goals to become the first mixed-gender team of 4 to row the Arctic Ocean, the fastest 4-person team to row the Arctic Ocean, and the first All-American team to row a polar ocean. As proud partners of the Arctic Challenge, we’re excited to introduce each member of this team and share their unique stories and motivations.
HOCR 2024: Survivor Rowing Network Meet & Greet
We are thrilled to welcome athletes from the Survivor Rowing Network to the JL Racing tent at this year’s Head of the Charles Regatta. These cancer survivors are not only fierce competitors but also powerful advocates for the healing benefits of rowing. On Saturday, October 19th, from 10:15am to 11:15am, we will be hosting a meet & greet with athletes who are racing in the Survivor Row event, taking place at 3:26pm the same day. Stop by the JL tent on Saturday to meet these incredible and inspiring athletes, celebrate their strength, enter a raffle to win a FREE JL swag bag, and learn more about how SRN is growing the survivor rowing community worldwide!
Team Spotlight: The Arctic Challenge 2025
Team JL Ambassadors, Hannah and John Huppi, along with their two teammates, Jimmy Graham and Andrew Tropp, will be taking on the challenge of rowing the Arctic Ocean in 2025. Along with aiming for multiple performenace goals, the team is on a mission to inspire young minds, and challenge the next generation to defy their limiting beliefs and chart their own course toward extraordinary achievements. The Arctic Challenge is also proud to support two non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting New Orleans youth. We sat down with the Arctic Challenge Team to learn more about the challenge, their goals, and what is motivating them.
Survivor Rowing Network Racing at HOCR 2024
The Survivor Rowing Network will be floating 11 boats this year at Head of the Charles, marking its second year racing at this prestigious event in Boston. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the inaugural Survivor Row at HOCR, we had the opportunity to speak with four of the athletes who will be racing in Boston this year. The Survivor Row will take place on Saturday, October 19th at 3:28pm.
Team Spotlight: Allies With Oars
Since 2022, Steady State Network has raced as Allies with Oars to promote inclusion and accessibility for all rowers, regardless of gender identity. They pull together competitive lineups for major regattas. The current Allies with Oars team is training for Race Around the Rock, an 88k coastal relay race on August 25th around Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada. The team will be taking over the JL Racing Instagram story for the weekend of the race. Be sure to tune in to follow along!
Celebrating Mothers They Love: Saugatuck Survive-Oars
Rowers from the Saugatuck Survive-Oars have been instrumental in the development and growth of the Survivor Rowing Network. These three strong Saugatuck women have already won the hardest race of their lives, but took on rowing and found new confidence and friends for life. Their children have been some of their greatest supporters and cheer them on and off the water. We asked these survivors how rowing has impacted them, and how their children are celebrating them this Mother's Day.
Celebrate a Mother You Love: Barbara Sanchez-Salazar
Barbara is a loving mother of twin rowers and a powerful force in the Rowing Cares/Survivor Rowing Network organization. Her vision and dedication have been instrumental in the organization's success. Always one to put up her hand to take on a challenge, she motivates and inspires on and off the water. Both of Barbara's daughters, Isabel and Maria, have embraced service to the cancer and rowing communities, serving as Rowing Cares Brand Ambassadors and coaching survivor rowing programs.
Celebrate a Mother You Love: The Behrens Family
A powerful bond between mother and son brings us to share their story in celebration of Mother’s Day. We met the Behrens family from New Jersey a few years ago when Brendan participated in the Rowing Cares Pink Boathouse Challenge in honor of his mother, Krisi. He was Celebrating A Mother He Loves. Both Krisi and Brendan are committed to helping those who are fighting. In honor of Mother’s Day, Rowing Cares and JL Racing asked them to share a bit of themselves and their incredible journey.
A Lasting Legacy: The Journey of Women in Rowing
Each year, at least once, I watch NINE. The story doesn’t get old. The women who stood tall in the face of exclusion; those brave and powerful women paved the way for the rest of us. While they may not have set out to leave a legacy, they have done so. For that, I am forever grateful.
Black Kids Go Fast by Joshua Rafferty
Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the Black Student-Athlete Summit in Los Angeles, CA. At the conference, there were over 500 varsity student-athletes across all NCAA divisions. I had the honor of meeting the most talented, hard-working, smart, and kind people with whom I have ever interacted. As I met track runner after track runner, I began to wonder where the rowers were. Joshua Rafferty interviews Black athletes and coaches on their rowing journey, poses the question "How can we get more Black kids in college boats?" and discusses ways that we can diversify our sport at the higher levels.
Two Passions on a Single: Charlie, the Rowing Chestnut
I have some rather niche passions. The first one might not seem so niche to you, since you are currently reading “The Launch” a rowing blog made by a rowing gear company, but for many, it seems quite odd to have a wake up before 5 am to go sit on a tippy boat, narrower than your butt, to move backwards on a river…My second passion is the Castanea dentata tree (I told you it was rather niche…), the American Chestnut tree!
