Boat Named Yaz Farooq
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands – It isn’t every day that you are honored by having a boat named after you, but that is what happened for Stanford head coach Yasmin Farooq at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.
The National Rowing Foundation, which inducted Farooq into its Hall of Fame in May, has the naming rights for a number of Olympic class boats that compete at the World Championships every year.
“This year we chose to name one of the boats with Yaz's name to honor her dedication to our sport, the standard of success she set in her long and successful international racing career; and the respect she commands across the rowing community,” said Charles Hamlin, the executive director of the National Rowing Foundation.
The boat that dons “Yaz Farooq” on its side is the women’s lightweight double sculls boat. USA athletes Michelle Sechser and Devery Karz are the two athletes who are competing in the boat.
Truly flattered. These girls don't need a coxswain, but of course I would do my best if they did! @usrowing http://t.co/FCWxLFFInN
— Yasmin Farooq (@YazFarooq) August 26, 2014
The “Yaz Farooq” helped lead the Americans to a 10th place finish in the event. The duo took fourth in the B Final with a time of 6:57.22 on Saturday.
Two former Stanford rowers competing at the World Championships, Elle Logan and Grace Luczak, competed in the women’s eight. That boat was named “1984 Women’s 8+” after the team that captured the first gold medal ever in that event for the U.S.