August 1, 2026
Weather and Air Quality Cancelations
Wow! We have had a season of wild weather and conditions that have not always been conducive to rowing.
Our coaches use many resources, apps and forecasts as well as collective years of on water experience to make the best decisions for the safety of our members, equipment and to have enjoyable rows.
NMRC has processes in place to guide us, however when mother nature makes it challenging with conditions we don’t always get it right and the weather sometimes turns on us at the last minute, for better or worse.
Whatever those decisions are, it’s important to follow and respect our coaches' weather calls, and if a row is cancelled, club boats may not go out during that session time, even if the conditions have changed in favor of rowable conditions. The only time a row may occur outside of coached sessions is via a boat reservation.
See info below to make reservations.
New NMRC Club Merch Store Now Open!
NMRC Club Gear is now available to order through our own store on Squad Locker. There are t-shirts (long and short sleeve), tank tops and sweatshirts. A variety of colors are available.
(Note that these are not the club racing uniforms.)
If you order before August 10th, you can receive a 15% discount. The code is NMR15YT and you will see it at the top of the store page.
Hi-Viz hats are currently available on the NMRC website in green and white. Yellow and pink hats are on order.
Contact Cam Lanphier if you have questions.
lanphier3@comcast.net
Order before August 10th, you can receive a 15% discount. The code is NMR15YT
The link to our Squad Locker store is:
https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/#/lockers/northern-michigan-rowing
Coming Soon:
Competition Regatta team wear store in the works for NMRC Members!
Novices - What’s next for you?
Novices, are your skills getting better and are you eager to row more?
We have many opportunities to put what you are learning (or have already learned) to the test. If you feel ready to join one of our many open rows, please talk to Coach Katie or one of our other coaches.
Toggle In now for any of our Novice + friendly open rows and join the fun. This is a great opportunity to meet more club members and to learn from other more experienced rowers. As always, remember to arrive at least 15 minutes early to any scheduled row.
Monday Open Sculling (all levels) - 7am-9am at Glen Lake Yacht Club
Tuesday Open Row (novice +) - 6pm-8pm at Lake Leelanau
Wednesday Open Sculling (all levels) - 7am-9amat Lake Leelanau
Friday Open Sculling (all levels) - 7am-9am at Glen Lake Yacht Club
Sunday Open Row (novice +) - 9am-11am at Lake Leelanau
Reserving Boats
Looking to row outside of our scheduled sessions?
NMRC offers rowing during coached row sessions or through our shell reservation system. Here is some important information to consider if you wish to reserve an NMRC boat:
Shells can only be reserved by members of the Independent Sculler team. In order to become a member of the Independent Sculler team, you must self-certify your rowing skill level and be able to self-rescue. If you are not sure, speak with one of our Coaches.
Club equipment must be reserved through iCrew, and can only be reserved for times outside of scheduled/coached NMRC sessions.
NMRC safety policy requires 4 oars on the water during any rowing session.
Reserving Boats in iCrew:
Regattas:
NMRC Member Diane H. pictured (L) at RowFest
The Beer City Regatta has been rescheduled to August 15th in Grand Rapids, MI, hosted by the Grand Rapids Rowing Club on the Grand River. This date change impacted the roster of rowers able to go & to make it a go, we’d love to have another 2-4 members to attend. Races are Saturday only, making it possible for a single day event & easy travel.
This fun, pretty chill regatta features Masters, novice, and recreational racing, and notably concludes with teams celebrating their medals with local craft beer. Rowing? Beer? What could be more fun?!
If you have any questions or are still interested in participating, contact Kathy B. via email.
NMRC is seeking Sponsorships to help our members attend Regattas. If you know an organization or someone that would be interested in a business sponsorship to help support our growing competitive programming, please have them contact a board member.
Next up on the planning calendar…
Other regattas under consideration for the 2026 season:
Iron Oars, Marquette, MI (UP), 8/22/26
Henley On the Boardman (TACR), Traverse City, 9/12/26
Head of the Hooch, Chattanooga, TN - 11/7/26-11/8/26
Regatta registration deadlines vary.
As a member, if you are interested in joining NMRC at any regatta, please reach out directly to Kathy B. at physicsfox@gmail.com
More Learn to Row & Sculling Sessions!
Do you know people who are curious about rowing, or are at a place to try it out? NMRC has two more Learn to Rows scheduled for the 2026 season. Come learn from our coaches and experienced volunteers about the sport of rowing.
Learn the fundamentals of rowing on a rowing machine (erg) while on dry land.
Learn boat parts, terms, commands and safety.
Try out your skills on the water with experienced rowers to guide you.
These are free community events (suggested donation $25)
Glen Lake Learn to Scull:
August 3rd & August 12th, 6:00pm to Sunset
Lake Leelanau Learn to Row:
August 22nd, 9:00am-1:00pm
Please share these Learn to Row Sessions with your rowing curious friends! Anyone interested can email to row@northernmichiganrowing.club (space is limited)
Volunteers & Attendees at Lake Leelanau Learn-to-Row
NMRC Volunteers are THE BEST!
NMRC is a member / volunteer organization, and we could not do it without you pitching in! Since our last newsletter on July 15th, members have logged many volunteer hours. Thanks to everyone who has helped out and continues to help out.
Two more Learn-to-Rows at Glen Lake…Volunteers needed! You are needed to help greet participants, reinforce the basics of the stroke and terminology, and then help the boats on the water. Volunteers should arrive at 5:30 pm. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to share your enthusiasm for rowing as well as fill volunteer hours. Toggle in on iCrew and come down to see the beautiful Glen Lake location. Questions? Contact Cam at lanphier3@comcast.net.
One more Learn-to-Row at Lake Leelanau… Volunteers Needed! Check out iCrew and toggle-in if you can hlep. Questions? Contact Marti at marti@northernmichiganrowing.club.
Volunteers of the week: Marti & Paul removing large wasp nests from a quad!
Thank you!
Other Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:
Sign up in iCrew
The club earns $$$ for our participation in the following events. Please go to iCrew and sign up today.
Cedar Polka Fest - Friday Evening, 8/28/26
Cedar Polka Fest - Saturday Evening, 8/29/26
Sleeping Bear Marathon - Saturday Morning, 10/3/26
If you want to help the club out but don’t know where you best fit, or have a special skill you can offer, please contact any board member or reach out to row@northernmichiganrowing.club
Meet member Betsy Borre
In her own words:
What brought you to the sport of rowing?
I first got involved in rowing when I was in middle school as one of the founding junior members of the Lake Leelanau Rowing Club. The moment I saw the red boat trailer loaded with the original fleet of wooden boats (think Das Boot, Jaws, the Francis Cunningham and Friends II) in front of Fountain Point back in 2010, I knew I had to try it. I quickly fell in love with every aspect of the sport. It has been incredibly rewarding to grow alongside rowing in Northern Michigan, watching it evolve while also growing as an athlete. Looking back, it's special to know I was there from the very beginning.
What do you like about it?
Before I started rowing, I never imagined how much I would enjoy simply being on the water. Some of my favorite memories are the early morning practices, when the lake is completely still and the only sound is from blades skimming above the water.
One thing I love about rowing with NMRC specifically is how welcoming the club is to all ages, abilities, identities and body types. Every practice is a chance to improve, whether it's getting stronger, refining technique, or learning to work more seamlessly with as a crew. There's something incredibly rewarding about putting in the work and feeling the boat move effortlessly when everyone is rowing together. Those moments remind me why I keep coming back.
What does rowing mean to you?
Rowing has become much more than just a sport. It's taught me discipline, resilience, and the value of showing up even on the hard days. It's helped me build confidence and has introduced me to an amazing community of teammates, coaches, and friends. No matter how challenging a practice or race may be, I always leave feeling stronger than when I started.
What is a rowing challenge you've set for yourself?
One challenge I've set for myself is to keep becoming a more complete rower—not just by getting faster or stronger, but by continuing to refine my technique and become someone my teammates can always rely on. I want to keep pushing my limits, learn from every stroke and see how far I can take the sport while continuing to enjoy every opportunity to be on the water.
Guest Rowing
NMRC welcomes rowers from other clubs to join us for limited rowing sessions while they are visiting Leelanau. Many other clubs offer reciprocity as well. So next time you are traveling and looking to get on the water and row, reach out and connect with other rowing clubs!
NMRC Leadership
Lindy Kellogg, President: lindy@northernmichiganrowing.club
Marti Chamberlain, Vice-President: marti@northernmichiganrowing.club
Cindy Opie, Treasurer: cindy@northernmichiganrowing.club
Cam Lanphier, Member at Large: cam@northernmichiganrowing.club
Gary Chleboun, Member at Large: gary@northernmichiganrowing.club
The NMRC Board of Directors is a 7-member board and 2 spaces are currently vacant. If you are interested in learning more about our club leadership or want to become involved, please reach out to any of the members above.
Supporting our club is always in season!
We are a volunteer, member-run 501c3 organization, and depend on donations to sustain our club. Membership fees go toward overhead costs and staff (coaches and coxswains). All equipment repair and upgrades are supported by the generous donations of our community.
Charitable donations can also be made via RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) contributions if one is retired and/or reached the age where one must take their RMD. Making donations this way may reduce your tax burden. Contact your own financial advisor.
NMRC is now registered to receive donations via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from Fidelity Charitable. If you have investments with Fidelity, it is an easy and secure way to make donations.
Business Sponsorships:
Our business sponsorship program is outlined on our website under the Support NMRC tab or this link.
Please reach out to any businesses that you think might be interested in sponsorships!
Corporate Rowing Program:
Great for team building, as a staff benefit, or as a fitness challenge for your company. Details are at this link.