The University of Washington and Windermere Real Estate are excited to host the 37th annual Windermere Cup on Saturday, May 4th, on Seattle's Montlake Cut.
Nearly 800 athletes will compete in this prestigious event, featuring local, national, and international competitors. The headlining race will feature the men's and women's crews from the University of Washington against two national teams that will be announced in January 2024. The women’s Windermere Cup race will lead the headlining events, followed by the men’s race to close out the day’s competition. Following the races, fans are invited to join the regatta champions for an awards ceremony and presentation of the coveted Windermere Cup trophy. Awards will be presented on a stage is near the finish line on the North side of the Montlake Cut.
Admission to the event is free. Viewing is available along the North and South shores of the Montlake Cut, or by boats anchored to a log boom in Lake Washington.
Teams are to be determined, will be announced in April 2024.
Competitors for the 2024 Windermere Cup will be announced in January 2024.
Following the Regatta, a cannon will sound and the Montlake Bridge will open, signaling the beginning of the Seattle Yacht Club’s Boat Parade.
The Seattle Yacht Club's Trio will announce the 2024 Opening Day Parade theme at the beginning of the year.
The Windermere Shore Party is the ultimate viewing experience, with food, drinks, and the best seats on the shore. Admission is by invitation only, so contact your Windermere agent for more information on how to purchase tickets for 2024.
New Customizable Merchandise: Design your own Windermere Cup garments with our new merchandise partner, Fine Designs. Choose from popular brands and styles, then decorate it just the way you want it. Click here to buy now!
Limited Edition Apparel & More: We have a limited supply of merchandise items, posters, backpacks and more you can purchase directly from Windermere. Click here to buy now!
The viewing areas along the north and south shores of the Montlake Cut on race day are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You may also watch from the Montlake Bridge. The bridge closes to car traffic from 9:40 AM - 3:00 PM and you can watch the races from the bridge from 9:40 AM -11:45 AM, but you need to be off the bridge by noon when the cannon blast signals the beginning of the Boat Parade. That is when the bridge goes up to let the boats through.
Yes, there are a select group of food and beverage vendors on the north side of the Cut west of the Montlake Bridge.
The area around the Montlake Cut gets very congested on the morning of the races. Consider taking Metro, Light Rail or riding your bike down to the event.
The Windermere Cup races begin at 10:00 a.m. but the Montlake Bridge closes to car traffic at 9:40 a.m. It is best to arrive between 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. to get a spot on the Cut to watch the races.
After the races, all of the competing crews, with the exception of the teams competing in the Windermere Cup and Erickson Cascade Cup, will wait at the west end of the Montlake Cut in Portage Bay until all the races are over and then they will row back through the Cut to the Conibear shellhouse to put their boats away. This creates quiet a spectacle every year. Afterward there is an awards ceremony on the JumboTron Stage on the North side of the Montlake Cut, west of the Montlake Bridge, where awards are handed out, approximately between 12:30 - 2:00 PM. Many of the athletes gather there after the races.