Saugatuck Rowing Club Qualifies Five Boats for Youth Nationals

SAUGATUCK ROWING CLUB JUNIORS QUALIFY FIVE BOATS FOR YOUTH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Five boats from Westport’s Saugatuck Rowing Club qualified for next month’s 2017 USRowing Youth National Championships, thanks to top performances at the USRowing Northeast Youth Championships in Worcester, Mass. last weekend.

The qualifying varsity crews will compete in the national championships June 9-11 in Sarasota, Florida. At the regional qualifier, SRC brought home two gold medals in the womens youth 8+ and womens youth 4+ events, a silver in a photo finish in the mens youth 4+ race, and bronzes in the mens youth lightweight 8+ and womens youth lightweight 4+ races. Crews finishing in the top three at regionals earn berths in the national championships. In all, 33 rowers from Saugatuck’s junior program will be competing in youth nationals next month.

“The competition at Northeast Regionals is always tough, and we are proud of our team’s performance against other top crews,” said Sharon Kriz, director of rowing and head junior boys coach, Saugatuck Rowing Club. “It’s rewarding to send so many of our junior rowers to the national championships.”

In Sarasota next month, the club will be looking to defend its back-to-back national titles in the womens varsity 8+ event.

“Our rowers have trained hard for the opportunity to face off against the best teams in the country,” said Gordon Getsinger, Saugatuck Rowing Club head junior girls coach. “We are eager to hit the water in Florida next month.”

The Saugatuck Rowing Club Juniors qualifying crews for the 2017 USRowing Youth National Championships include:

Womens Youth 8+ (gold) – Noelle Amlicke (Westport), Tatiana Chermayeff (Rowayton), Caitlin Esse (New Canaan), Grace McGinley (Westport), Kelsey McGinley (Westport), Sophie Pendrill (Scarsdale, NY), Charlotte Powers, coxswain (Fairfield), Imogen Ratcliffe (Westport), and Willemijn ten Cate (Westport)

Womens Youth 4+ (gold) -- Parker Cuthbertson (Westport), Clara Everett (Fairfield), Camila Meyer-Bosse (Westport), Isabelle Grosgogeat, coxswain (Westport) and Hope Weisman (Larchmont)

Mens Youth 4+ (silver) -- Sawyer Banbury (Weston), Diego Baugh (Norwalk), Harrison Burke (Westport), Michael Cantor (Weston), and Alin Pasa, coxswain (Westport)

Mens Youth Lightweight 8+ (bronze) – Steve Batter (Wilton), Emir Beg (Westport), Natalie DiLeo, coxswain (Fairfield), Jared Edwards (Westport), Henry Grant (Trumbull), Sam Holzhauer (Ridgefield), Justin Schmidt (Westport), Ethan Vosper (Westport) and Andrew Woods (Westport)

Womens Youth Lightweight 4+ (bronze) – Bonnie Pushner (Fairfield), Alice Sardarian (Westport), Eden Schumer, coxswain (Westport), Evan Shorrock (Westport), and Sanna ten Cate (Westport)

Saugatuck Rowing and Fitness Club is a beautiful facility on the Saugatuck River that provides world-class rowing instruction for youths and adults, beginners to experienced, private club amenities, Wi-Fi lounge and café, newly equipped fitness facility, complimentary fitness classes and social events for all ages. Saugatuck Rowing Club, LLC, 521 Riverside Ave. Westport, Conn. 06880 203-221-7475 / Saugatuckrowing.com