Etsuko(15), a young woman about to start high school,stands on the sea shore and stares out across the wavetops, enthralled. In the distance, a rowing team glide their boat effortlessly off into the sunset. It is a magical sight.

Etsuko cannot get this image out of her mind and sets her heart on joining the boating team at her new school. When she learns that no such team exists for girls, she decides to do something about it. She is begrudgingly allowed to practice with the boy's team, but has to deal with her childhood rival, Boo Sekino, also on the team, who is determined to make her life miserble.

By the end of the campus tournaments, her hopes to form a girl's team start to take shape. Under Etusko's exhortations, four girls come forward to make up a team. They are however, pretty useless. Complete non-athletes, their stamina is as weak as their enthusiasm for the water.

When practice begins they have to suffer the humiliation of asking the boys to carry their boat down to the shore. Once at sea, they spend more time chatting than training. In the Freshman's race they end up last and become the laughing-stock of the school.

Just at the point when the shock of this defeat moves them to make some kind of effort, Akiko, a coach who is reputed to have rowed in the Women's World Championships, appears. The girls are excited at first, but there is an undefined sadness about her that begins to make them feel awkward.

In the coming months of intense training, Etsuko overdoes it and pulls her back. Unable to row she can only stand on shore watching. When a new girl joins the team in her place, she no longer feels like calling out her encouragement across the water. Isolated and despondent, she retreats inside herself.

Akiko, the coach, impressed by the passion of this young girls for the boats, attempts to rally her spirits. In doing so, she also begins to notice a change in her own attitude towards the coaching. Reinvigorated, they both return to the fray. Warmly-welcomed, Etsuko is delighted to be back where she belongs.

A year later:

The second Freshman Race looms. The girls are determined to make the Final. In the first elimination round they have their first success and manage not to come in last place for the very first time.

The morning of the final race. "Give it all! Give it all you've got!" The yell echoes through the thinning mist. The starting cry goes up and Etsuko's team is off. From the shore Akiko, Etsuko's family, Boo and friends cheer their support. The heat of the competition consumes Etsuko. Her mind a blank, she powers forward, putting everything she has into each stroke. When the Cox calls out "Easy All" and the oars around her slack, Etsuko lies back. Oblivious to the outcome of the race, she stares up at the blue sky.....smiling.....delighted to have been able to do her very best.