The UCLA Men's Varsity 8 (#3 ACRA) is headed to Seattle for the 2025 Opening Day Regatta, where they will take on the University of Washington at an event steeped in tradition, pageantry, and competitive spirit. The Bruins will race against the Huskies' Third Varsity 8 and Freshman 8, providing a valuable test against some of the nation's top developing rowing talent from one of the premier programs in collegiate rowing.

With a legacy dating back to 1903, the Huskies have long been a dominant force with a storied history, claiming numerous Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championships and producing Olympic-caliber athletes—including the legendary 1936 gold medal crew featured in The Boys in the Boat.

Washington continues to demonstrate why it remains a standard-bearer in the sport. The Huskies' Varsity 8, currently ranked #2 in the IRA, recently defeated top-ranked California to win the coveted Schoch Cup. Their top boat will line up against a crew from the New Zealand National Team and race for the Windermere Cup.

The Opening Day Regatta, first held in 1970, takes its name from its connection to the opening day of Seattle's yachting season—a major annual celebration in the Pacific Northwest. The event is centered around a grand boat parade that winds its way through the Montlake Cut, a narrow canal that connects Lake Washington to Lake Union. Hundreds of decorated boats pass through the waterway, flanked by cheering spectators on shore, bridges, and houseboats.

Rowing races precede the fanfare, unfolding on a course defined by a long line of private boats tied together along the log boom. This floating armada creates a unique corridor from the starting line in Lake Washington, through the Cut, and into Portage Bay. The result is one of the most festive and distinctive rowing venues in the world—where thousands line the shore and float alongside the course, creating an electric atmosphere for competitors.

This year's regatta marks the 55th anniversary of the inaugural Opening Day Regatta in 1970—a race that saw UCLA stun the rowing world by narrowly defeating Washington in front of a massive crowd. That season, the Bruins firmly established themselves as a force on the West Coast winning the Western Sprints by a boat length over the Huskies.

UCLA's rowing program, founded in 1933, has a proud and complex history, including a dominant run in the 1980s when the Bruins defeated Washington for three consecutive years at the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships. However, after the sport was dropped as a varsity program in the late '80s, UCLA's rowers transitioned to club status. In 1991, their first year as a club team, UCLA finished second to Washington at PCRCs—a remarkable achievement that marked the beginning of a long road back to national prominence.

The journey from varsity glory to ACRA contender has not been easy. Over the past three decades, the Bruins have rebuilt their program from the ground up. Today, UCLA is a national power in the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA), the result of years of passion, pursuit, and belief in the team's potential. The ascension is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of its student-athletes, their parents, the alumni, and the coaching staff.

Head Coach Marcel Stiffey welcomes the validation of UCLA Men's Rowing and shares his excitement,  "We were very thrilled to have received the invite to Opening Day. Our participation really acknowledges how far the program has come and how other programs are noticing what UCLA is doing. The experience up in Seattle will be one that the boat will remember for the rest of their lives."

The 2025 season and the invitation to the Opening Day Regatta has underscored UCLA's resurgence. The Varsity 8 earned top finishes at the San Diego Crew Classic and showcased speed, depth, and determination at the recently completed WIRA Championships. Their recent performances have solidified a top national ranking and set the stage for a compelling test in Seattle.

For UCLA, the Opening Day Regatta also represents a chance to honor the program's own storied past, to test itself against elite competition, and to continue forging a legacy in the club rowing landscape. As the Bruins take to the water in the shadow of the Montlake Bridge and alongside the legendary log boom, they do so with pride, purpose, and an eye toward the future.

Racing information can be found at Regatta Central and at gohuskies.com

The Windermere Cup/Opening Day collegiate races will all air on live video on Big Ten Plus and on Overnght.com. U.S. viewers may watch on either, but those outside of the United States must watch on Overnght.com.

Results can be found here: Opening Day Results