About /
History
In 1892 when San Diego was a sleepy little town and
women’s rowing was unheard of, four adventurous
young women – sisters Lena, Agnes, and Caroline
Polhamus and their best friend, Zulette Lamb –
borrowed a boat and, using the initials of their first
names to form the acronym ZLAC, organized ZLAC Rowing
Club, Ltd., recognized as the first ever women’s
rowing club in the United States.
To promote rowing and other athletic activities,
both aquatic and otherwise, among its members, to
promote social activities among its members, and to
provide and maintain a clubhouse and other facilities
for the conduct of such activities.
The early days of ZLAC were spent rowing in two large
wooden barges from a boathouse at the foot of Broadway
in San Diego. With increased shipping and boat travel
on San Diego Bay, it became necessary to look for another
location for the boathouse. In 1929, the club purchased
two parcels of land on the northern shore of Mission
Bay in Pacific Beach. ZLAC member and prominent architect
Lilian Rice was commissioned to draw plans for the
clubhouse and dock built in 1932. The landscaping was
designed by renowned horticulturist Kate Sessions, known
as the “Mother of Balboa Park.”
Through the years the club provided smaller rowing boats
in addition to the barges. In an effort to keep the
interest of the junior rowers, the club started acquiring
racing shells in 1962. Needing a place to house the
shells, the club built a boathouse and pier in 1962.
Under the leadership and coaching of Patty Wyatt, a
competitive crew was organized in 1964, in addition
to the recreational rowing. As competitive rowing has
grown worldwide, so have the rowing programs at ZLAC
with its junior and master women rowers competing in
regional, national and international regattas. U.S.
National Team members, top college rowers, and three
Olympic rowers have developed from the ZLAC Juniors’
competitive rowing program. ZLAC member Patty Wyatt
was instrumental in founding the San Diego Crew Classic,
and was responsible for the racing venue at Lake Casitas
in the 1984 Olympics. ZLAC master rowers have competed
and won titles in national and international masters
regattas. In 2000, ZLAC built a beautiful, modern 2-story
boathouse to store more than 20 rowing shells with a
workout room for ergometers and weight equipment.
A dynamic presence in the rowing community, ZLAC continues
its tradition as a premier rowing and social club in
San Diego and plays a significant role in supporting
and promoting women’s crew.
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