Tuesday, October 13, 2026 / Eugene and Lowell
At 75, a Dexter Lake rower heads back to the race that started it all
Sally Keller trains five days a week and will race with an over-70 crew in Boston this weekend.
Eugene's Sally Keller rows on Dexter Lake five days a week. At 75, she is preparing to compete October 16–18 in Boston's Head of the Charles Regatta, returning to the river where her rowing life began more than fifty years ago.
Lookout Eugene-Springfield reports Keller's masters crew has an average age over 70. At home, she rows with the Oregon Association of Rowers and frequently takes out a yellow-and-green double named Ulu with longtime rowing partner Kathy Juhlin. The two have shared a boat since 2012. Keller still trains through the aches that come with age, and says the concentration of racing is one reason she keeps coming back.
Field notes
What changed: An October 12 profile follows Keller's preparation for the October 16–18 Boston race.
Why it matters: A local athlete's decades-long relationship with the sport offers a window into Lane County's rowing community.
Who may be affected: Local rowers, recreational athletes and people interested in active aging.