Sharing her passion for rowing

For Cece Aguda, it’s all about the water.

Aguda fell in love with rowing years ago; now she wants to share that passion with others on Whidbey Island.

She was drawn to rowing for many reasons.

“I have always loved being on the water,” she said. “It (rowing) is an all-body workout; you use every muscle. It is hard work, but easy on the body and joints.

“Whether I’m floating on the Cove listening to loons or racing, it is me and the boat. It is a challenge all unto itself.”

Aguda is taking the first steps in forming a rowing club on Whidbey Island, Rowing on Whidbey.

She submitted and received nonprofit status and formed a board of directors. She has acquired a small fleet of boats and sweep oars through donations from other rowing clubs.

“Our goal is to form a youth program for middle and high school students so they can learn to row, train and race,” Aguda said. “In conjunction with this program, we will also have a masters program for those of us beyond high school.”

The club needs a trailer to haul the boats, a place to store the equipment, a launch and, of course, members.

The boats are currently stored in Mare Chapman’s backyard in Coupeville.

Preferably they would be stored near enough to the water, such as at the Oak Harbor Marina, that they could be carried by hand to launch, Aguda said.

She expects to talk to the marina and city soon about acquiring a space.

A launch (a boat that casts little wake) is necessary to carry coaches on the water so they can instruct rowers without disturbing the water.

A recruiting plan is taking shape.

“As soon as we can get the boats to the water we are going to host a couple demonstration days to show people what it’s all about,” she said. “Some PRC coaches have offered to come help with coaching until we can get a dedicated coach for our program.”

PRC is Seattle’s Pocock Rowing Center, one of the premier programs in the country. Aguda trains there several times a week.

“PRC and the George Pocock Rowing Foundation have been an immense help,” Aguda said.

Administrators from PRC transported boats for Rowing on Whidbey to the island, arranged for oars to be donated and joined Aguda in visiting with Oak Harbor High School Principal Dwight Lundstrom to promote the new club.

“As our program grows, they (PRC) will continue to be integral to our success,” she said.

Aguda, 54, began rowing as a college student at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in the 1980s.After moving to Oak Harbor in 2016, she returned to rowing for the first time in 32 years when she joined the Whatcom Rowing Association in Bellingham.

At that time, she set a goal of racing in the 2018 World Championships. That goal was met, and she competed at the Worlds earlier this month in Florida.

Aguda raced in 10 singles events this year, placing second in her first race in Lake Stevens and third at the U.S. Rowing Masters National Championships in Oakland, Calif.

She also raced in boats for pairs, fours and eights.

Three 2018 races remain, including the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta — the Boston Marathon of rowing — this weekend in Boston.

“Rowing is important to me for the teamwork and community, the peace and beauty of being on the water, the challenge of performing better, the great workout,” she said.

“I want to bring this to the residents of Whidbey Island,” Aguda said. “I want our youth to learn about rowing and fall in love with it.”