Moorestown Boats Compete in National Championship

Members of the Moorestown Rowing Club recently participated in the 2011 Scholastic Rowing Association of America’s National Championship. 

Moorestown had three boats qualify to compete–Boys JV 4, Girls Varsity 8 and Boys Light Weight 4. The Boys JV 4 and Girls Varsity 8 qualified by placing first in the NJ Garden State Championships. The Boys Light Weight 4 qualified by placing third in the Philadelphia Cities Championship.

This year’s regatta had 176 teams from 129 different cities from 14 different states and Canada. There were a total of 559 entries that stretched over two days of competition. This year’s nationals were held on Moorestowns's home course of the Cooper River.

In addition to Moorestown, teams from the Camden County Boat House were represented by Bishop Eustace, Haddonfield and Haddon Township. The Moorestown fleet had a strong showing with two boats making the Grand Finals and the Girls Varsity 8 making the Petit Finals.

Unfortunately, due to an injury to one of the rowers, the Varsity 8 was unable to compete in their final race. This boat includes rowers Claire Wixted (stroke seat), Kristen Van Iderstine, Emily Van Fossen, Sam Travinia, Jules Downey, Dani Baskin, Peyton Conrey, Gabrielle Martin (bow) and Sarah Tennenbaum (coxswain).

The Boys Light Weight 4 finished 5th of 24 boats in its Grand Final. The Boys Light Weight 4 includes Rohil Shah (stroke seat), Brian Regan, Will Van Fossen, Jason Goldenberg (bow) and Emily Mullin (coxswain).

The Boys JV 4 of Andrew Hendrickson (stroke seat), Kevin Shaloo, Will Roman, Matt O’Donnell (bow) and Jack Sencindiver (coxswain) placed 4th in its Grand Final. Thirty-six boats competed in this category.

This was the last race of the season for this boat. The JV 4 was the team’s most consistent and competitive boat finishing with four first-place finishes, one second-place finish and two third-place finishes. One of the third-place finishes was competing a step up as a Varsity 4. The highlight of the season was winning the George Mattson Trophy at the Stotesbury Regatta. The good news for the team is that all four of these rowers and the coxswain will be eligible to row again next year.

The Girls Varsity 8 and the Boys Light Weight 4 have one more regatta left.  They will travel to Oak Ridge, TN, this weekend to compete in the US Rowing’s Youth National Championship. This event includes local and regional clubs that recruit rowers from a wider area and are not necessarily affiliated with one particular school.  The Girls Varsity 8 will face a field of 23 competitors while the Light Weight 4 will face 17 other entrants.