On Lake Iseo, thirty women take to the water to celebrate International Women’s Day — and raise their oars for cancer research.
There is something deeply powerful about women rowing together at dawn on a still mountain lake — blades catching the light, voices echoing off the water. On March 8th, that power will have a name: community.
This International Women’s Day, Rowing4Fun ASD — coordinator of the European project ROWACT (Rowing for Wellness and Active Community) — is hosting an inclusive rowing event on the waters of Lake Iseo, hosted by the historic Canottieri Sebino club in Lovere, in the province of Bergamo.
Thirty women have signed up to participate, joining a national movement that transforms sport into solidarity: “Just the Woman I Am”, the grassroots initiative born in the world of university athletics and now a beacon of support for cancer research across Italy.
More Than a Race
This is not a conventional regatta. It is a celebration. Crews will row across the calm basin of Lake Iseo while a lively group of supporters cheers from the shore — friends, family, curious locals, and anyone who believes that health, sport and inclusion belong to everyone.
The event was designed to be as welcoming as it is spirited. Whether you’re an experienced rower or someone who has never set foot in a boat, the spirit of the day is the same: show up, take part, be seen. Rowing becomes a metaphor — you don’t have to be the strongest stroke to matter to the crew.
Rowing teaches you that you go further together than alone. Today, we’re not just racing across a lake — we’re rowing toward a world that cares.Rowing4Fun ASD — ROWACT Project
Just the Woman I Am
Founded in the Italian university sports community, Just the Woman I Am has grown into one of the country’s most beloved grassroots fundraising events, channelling proceeds into oncology research at universities nationwide. It carries a simple, radical message: show up exactly as you are. No performance required.
The initiative perfectly mirrors ROWACT’s own values. Across its partner institutions and communities, ROWACT has always championed sport not as an elite pursuit but as a fundamental right — a means of connection, wellbeing, and self-discovery for people of every background, ability, and age.
Colour, Community and the Lake
Lake Iseo in early March has a particular quality: the light is sharp and cold, the water deep and glassy. Against that backdrop, a fleet of boats filled with women — dressed in the vivid colours of the initiative — will make for an unforgettable sight.
Those watching from the shore are not bystanders. They are part of the event. In the spirit of Just the Woman I Am, participation takes many forms: you can hold an oar or hold a sign, you can row or you can roar. What matters is being present and standing together for something larger than yourself.
Why This Matters
Cancer does not discriminate. Research does not happen without funding. And sport — when practised with an open heart — can carry a message further than any single voice. On March 8th, the blades of thirty women will speak clearly: we care about prevention, we believe in science, and we believe that every woman deserves a place in sport.
This is what ROWACT is for. Not trophies. Community. Not performance. Wellbeing. Not exclusivity. A boat wide enough for everyone.
See you on the lake. 🚣♀️