Orindans Power Oakland Strokes To National Rowing Championship

Four Orinda high school seniors were part of a five man East Bay rowing team who went to Tennessee for the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships June 12 and ended up bringing home some gold.

Accompanied by coach Dameon Engblom, the crew traveled to Oak Ridge, Tenn. for nationals and ended up defeating the favorite St. Louis Rowing Club and thirteen other teams - all of them champions in their respective regions.

The crew was comprised of student athletes Ian Drake, David Hosler, Dmitri
Baefsky, Gabe Larwood, and coxswain Alexander Steele. Orindans Larwood, Drake and Steele missed out on graduation ceremonies at Miramonte High School in order to compete in nationals, as did Baefsky, who attends Miramonte but who lives in El Sobrante. David Hosler attends Piedmont High and lives in Piedmont.

To reach nationals competition, varsity crews had to first qualify their boats by placing third or higher at one of the six regional regattas in the nation.

Qualifying last month in the Oakland Strokes MV4+ (a four man boat with coxswain), the crew came to nationals and competed in the 2000 meter sprint - winning by more than five seconds.

“By winning nationals we have finally justified the hundreds upon hundreds of hours of training that go into this sport,” Larwood said from the winner's podium.

In addition to their win in the 2000, Drake and Baefsky earned silver in the pair event, competing within two hours of their gold medal effort to take second.