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.
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!
Survivor Rowing Network at Head of the Charles 2023
Rowing Cares and the Survivor Rowing Network (SRN) entered two boats comprised of cancer survivors at HOCR 2023. The SRN's mission is to grow Survivor Rowing and help place more cancer survivors into boats and on ergs. They do this by strengthening existing survivor rowing programs through collaboration & by enabling rowing organizations looking to form new programs. Read below to learn more about the incredible women who are coaching, rowing, or coxing in this year's SRN boats at HOCR, and visit the JL tent at HOCR to meet and chat with them. Good luck ladies!
HOCR 2022 Recap
Another Head of the Charles Regatta is in the books! Highlights included brand new product drops, an opportunity to meet with an account manager about custom rowing gear, the Ukrainian National Team, a meet & greet with US Para National Team athlete, Andrew Mangan, and Team JL ambassador boats. Check out some photos from the weekend below!
Meet Andrew Mangan at HOCR 2022
This year at Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, US Para National Team athlete Andrew Mangan will be at the JL Racing tent on Saturday, October 22nd. Stop by the JL tent between 10:00am-11:00am for a meet and greet, and to learn about High Fives Foundation - the nonprofit that helped Andrew buy an adaptive PR1 single to train in.
