THANK YOU TO THESE ALLIES WITH OARS SPONSORS:
promoting inclusion and accessibility for all rowers, regardless of gender identity.
Want to race in an Allies with Oars lineup?
Scroll down to learn more.
Since 2022, Steady State Network has raced as Allies with Oars to promote inclusion and accessibility for all rowers, regardless of gender identity. We do this by pulling together competitive lineups for major regattas including USRowing Masters Nationals and Head of the Charles. In 2024, Allies with Oars crews also participated in Race Around the Rock, an 88k coastal relay race in August around Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada.
The Allies with Oars initiative is part of our larger mission to disrupt and expand the narrative about rowing culture. USRowing awarded Steady State Network the 2023 Anita DeFrantz Award which recognizes an individual or organization achieving measurable success in expanding diversity opportunities in rowing.
With your support as an advertiser or Patron, we can offer truly equitable access to regattas, regardless of financial ability.
Learn about gender inclusion policy
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Dr. Mary O'Connor
Fighting to Save Women’s Rowing
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Coach Ann Strayer
On Inclusion and Self-Worth in Rowing
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Coach Kevin Harris
On the Importance of Embracing Diversity
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Challenging the Binary
Making a New Lane in Rowing
MAKING WAVES.
GETTING NOTICED.
In 2022, we pulled together our first Allies with Oars crew to row the Directors’ Challenge Mixed8+ at the Head Of The Charles Regatta. It was comprised of trans, nonbinary, gay, queer, and straight ally athletes. The Allies with Oars mission caught the attention of VICE News, which sent a production crew to Boston to film a segment about us for Queer Sports. Click play above to watch the segment, which is part of a longer episode about queer athletes and the power of activism.
2024 race opportunities
Allies with Oars crews are comprised of trans, nonbinary, gay, queer, and straight ally athletes. All members of the Allies with Oars crews must willfully support the mission to promote inclusion and accessibility for all rowers, regardless of gender identity.
Check back here in early 2025 for news about Allies and opportunities to get involved.
RACE AROUND THE ROCK
Event: Coastal Mixed4x+
August 25, 2024
Salt Spring Island / British Columbia, Canada
This race has been completed.
Hosted by Salt Spring Island Rowing Club, Race Around The Rock is an 88km endurance relay race around Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. We boated two coastal mixed 4x+ relay crews, each consisting of 6 rowers and one coxswain. We took advantage of eight way points (safety checks / relay points) and created a strategy that included two stops for crew changes. All rowers rowed between 44k and 71k.
A partnership with Live2Row Studios included an erg-based endurance training program for our team May through August. Live virtual training sessions were available several times a week, and recorded sessions were available on YouTube for on-your-own workouts. Crew members commited to this training plan in addition to any training they had with their local rowing club.
HEAD OF THE CHARLES
Event #73: Director’s Challenge Mixed8+
October 18-20, 2024
Boston, MA
The application period has ended and a lineup is now set.
Directors’ Challenge events benefit the permanent endowment of the HOCR and ensure the continued success of the event. They are competitive AND fun, without the pressure of seeking a top half finish for an automatic entry in 2025.
We boated one Mixed8+ crew.
Crew members were actively training and racing in sweep boats. We don’t have strict standards (like 5k scores) but expected members to participate in head races in the lead up to HOCR, and be capable of racing a competitive 5k piece down the HOCR course in the 28-30spm range.
Allies with Oars
Sponsorship opportunities
| 4-Week $250 |
8-Week $500 |
12-Week $1000 |
Product | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM GEAR: Logo placement on Race Around the Rock team uniforms |
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| PODCAST: Pre-Roll Host-Read Ad (1 episode) Allies with Oars is sponsored in part by Company Name |
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| PODCAST: Mid-Roll Host-Read Ad (2 episodes) Allies with Oars is sponsored in part by Company Name + tagline + URL |
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| PODCAST: Mid-Roll Host-Read Ad (4 episodes) Allies with Oars is sponsored in part by Company Name + feature + URL |
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| COFFEE CHAT on Instagram Live Mention |
✓ | ✓ | ||
| WEBSITE:Allies with Oars webage Sponsor logo banner placement | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| E-NEWSLETTER: Mention and Link |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| SOCIAL MEDIA: Mentions in Race Around the Rock-related social media posts |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PRODUCT PLACEMENT: Crew member product placement in Race Around the Rock-related social media posts |
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| PRODUCT SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION: Distribution to the rowing community where our team members live and row, in multiple U.S. states and British Columbia |
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| AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIP LINK |
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If you have questions or want more information about becoming a sponsor, email our sponsor coordinator Tara Morgan.
