I rowed my first official regatta today – the Norm Petersen regatta. Our 6-person crew in the South End took a medal and everything. The course to the Golden Gate Bridge and back was smooth with a few roller waves abeam Marina Green. We launched fast to the start, sprinted hard against the other sweep boat over the 5+ mile course, and held our ground strongly to the finish. Less than a mile from the finish the other boat caught a faster current and won the race by 7 seconds. I also broke in a new oar with a couple blisters on my right hand (feathering the oar got sticky).