Wintech Racing have a long and proud history of partnering with some of the finest rowing clubs and schools in the world. Our commitment to authenticity and character means we’ve got a track record of identifying and backing programs that deliver rowing for all, right across the world. In the US, our platform is perhaps greater than anywhere else but our focus on enabling rowing across all age groups and ethnic backgrounds continues to guide our strategy.
That is why Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club have represented a perfect customer and partner for numerous seasons. They are a competitive rowing team, open to any high school student in the greater Cincinnati area. Located in Newport, Ky, the club has both boys and girls’ teams, totaling around 130 rowers from area schools. Since its inception in 1993, the club has enjoyed remarkable success at both regional and national level right across the USA; CJRC have collected 20 team championships for both boys and girls teams at the Midwest Junior Rowing Association competition alongside over 30 medals at the National Championships.
Perhaps most significantly, numerous athletes have gone on to compete on the international stage, broadening their careers and amplifying the sport of rowing in a manner consistent with the aims of Wintech Racing.
Greg Hull, Director of Rowing and Varsity Boys Coach, has been involved with CRJC for many years. “We’re a competitive team, first and foremost,” he explained when catching up with us earlier this month. “If you join the squad at CJRC, you’re going to race. We get kids from all over Cincinnati which is a great reflection of how far we’ve come, considering rowing isn’t a huge sport in this area”.
The club typically plays host to around 130 rowers with an aim to achieve gender parity. “At the moment, there are more girls than boys in the program,” said Greg. “With the advent of Title IX and the opportunities for collegiate women’s rowing in the US, girls in our sport has become absolutely huge – which is really awesome”.
It is clear from even a cursory glance at the club’s website that they come prepared to envelope the sport of rowing in local communities and offer any athlete, regardless of background, the chance to get out on the water. Wintech have provided boats for the club for several years now, from beginner shells to craft that carry their inhabitants to victory on the grandest of stages.
“We had a few relationships with various boat-builders earlier on in our program,” explained Greg. “We worked with Quantum (now defunct) who used Graeme King’s design with modern materials. After they went down, we were basically struggling to find boats but began with Wintech around 2012 when they first started selling the King Eight”.
CJRC were one of the first junior programs in the US to use Wintech shells but the first few purchases only whet the appetite for more stock. “We had a boathouse full of shells made by companies that no longer existed,” laughed Greg. “We were struggling to find parts to fix and replace and realised we basically needed a new fleet that was well made but reasonably priced”.
Greg undertook a roadshow of conversations with various manufacturers but could not find a supplier who were willing to approach a fleet procurement with purchasing and lease agreements in the frame. Until he met Wintech. Our flexible approach was unique at the time and sought after by numerous companies and it is flattery of the highest order that the partnership we struck up with Greg and CJRC is now far more common across the rowing world.
“It’s been an amazingly positive journey with Wintech,” said Greg. “It let us take an ancient collection of boats and turn it into a homogenous fleet that share parts and are viable right across the spectrum of ability, which is critical to how we run our program”.
CJRC will undoubtedly continue doing remarkable things – their focus on transforming young people into refined athletes who can make the next step to national teams or leading collegiate programs is something that resonates with the core values of our sport. Wintech Racing are excited to continue to partner with them every step of the way.
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