See the New Solo 14 video

Sausalito California. The annual Diablo Point Rowing race hosted by the Open Water Rowing Center included a new boat and several elite rowers including Victoria’s Adam Kreek, Olympic Gold Medal winner and four time world rowing champion, plus Brad Vickers and Jordan Hanssen, endurance rowers who share the record for rowing across the North-Atlantic in 72 days, Sausalito resident Doug Gilmour as well as Allen Calder, member of the South End Rowing Club. South End was formed in 1873 and is the oldest rowing club in North America.

The 8 mile long Diablo course runs out into the open Pacific under San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and is often rough and wild. These elite rowers each raced the new Whitehall Spirit Solo 14, a ‘hybrid’ rowing boat. The Solo 14 has a sliding seat and the biomechanics of a racing shell in a classic Whitehall, a traditional design dating back over 400 years. Solo 14s are designed to handle rougher water conditions than a racing shell and are ideal for open water racing.
 
Harold Aune, the Solo 14’s designer, said: “It’s like introducing the first mountain bike for rowing; a fast all around rowing boat that allows anyone the ability to enjoy slide seat rowing in rougher exposed waters. You can even use the boat to throw out a crab trap or catch a fish for dinner. They are constructed using a high tech thermoforming process in copolymer plastic, that’s built to last plus handle extreme usage and the components are 100% recyclable.”

This year’s race was reasonably calm although fierce tidal currents were ebbing against the rowers. The largest seas met were from passing ships’ wakes and hardly a problem. The winner was Adam Kreek finishing in 1hr 52 minutes. He said “It was a great race and a fun boat. I love the new Whitehall Solo 14”.

Whitehall Rowing & Sail, builders of the Solo 14 actively promote rowing, particularly slide seat rowing, as an ideal sport. The Solo 14 offers superb full body exercise plus a green, clean, quiet adventure afloat with no oily footprint. It can be seen at www.whitehallsolo.com.



Hi-res Photo 1