Island Rowers to honor founder at ceremony

The Island Rowing Association is holding a christening ceremony 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 6 at Freeland Park in memory of the club’s founder, Dave Haworth.

The club recently refurbished one of the quad shells and has renamed it in Haworth’s honor. Haworth founded the club in 1997, which started with six members.

Currently, there are 17 members ranging in age from 28 to 76. The main focus of the club is recreational sculling and teaching the sport to youth and adults. Several members have extensive rowing experience in competitive collegiate and master’s programs.

Others learned the sport with the club’s two U.S. Rowing-trained coach-rowers, Carl Fjelsted and Bruce Schwager. The club hosts a Learn to Row program for anyone interested in rowing.

“Tides and weather permitting, the club practices early Tuesdays and Saturday mornings on Holmes Harbor, with masters and novice row times,” a press release states. “This season, the group is enjoying the dedicated coaching of Roy Dunbar, an island resident who competed internationally, and coached the Seattle Pacific University crew.”

For information about the event or the club, contact Carl Fjelsted at fjelsted@whidbey.com or 360-420-7962.