The Northeast Youth Rowing Championship is the qualifying regatta for the U.S Rowing Youth National Championships in the New York and New England states. This year’s race, on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, featured the top varsity rowers looking to represent this area in the June nationals at Princeton University. There were a total of 125 races over two days, with the Bromfield Acton-Boxborough (BA-B) rowers entering six boats. On Saturday, May 21, five of the six crews placed in the top three positions in their heats, moving on to Sunday’s finals. Three silver medals capped a successful final day for the BA-B rowers.
Last year’s BA-B boys 4+ won the national title, and even with a new lineup competing this year, the crew still placed second in the finals to win a trip to the nationals. Veteran stroker Luca Basile and coxswain Grace Heavey led Cole Winsor, Oliver Perrine, and Justin Hayes to a 6:36 finish, just three seconds off the gold-medal pace.
Not to be outdone, the boys lightweight 4+ also silvered in its final, five seconds off the fastest pace, with a time of 6:53. Rowers were Mitch Densen, Mark Borghesani, Garrett White, and Kyle Veo, with cox Nilay Maity.
“Both 4+ crews were competing for hotly contested spots where competing crews were often less than a second from being able to bump us out of the top three,” said Brian DeDominici, the boys varsity coach. “I am very happy with the results and even more proud of the effort the entire team has put in this season.”
Gains for small-boat athletes
The boys 2x and 2- also made it to the finals, coming in sixth and fifth overall. “Our athletes in the small boats gained valuable experience racing in some very competitive events. They were able to put in some impressive performances in events that only a few athletes on the team get to compete in,” said Coach DeDominici.
The girls 2- also earned a silver medal in its Sunday final. Rowers Kamryn Steyck and Kirsten Thiim were 12 seconds off the fast pace of the Connecticut Boat Club. They had to fight hard for their second-place finish, with challenges through the race from the third- and fourth-place finishers. “This is the first time our girls program has qualified in this event for Youth Nationals,” said girls varsity Coach Holly Hatton.
The Girls 8+ finished sixth in the final, coming behind five club teams. “We were the only public high school crew in this final. Club crews have tryout erg-standards and draw from the best of the best in their area,” said Coach Hatton. Despite the intense competition and not being a qualifying boat for the nationals, Coach Hatton was pleased with the result. “What is great about this crew is they were not intimidated by the long odds and went into the race with commitment and determination,” she said.
This year BA-B will send three crews to the youth nationals, held in West Windsor, New Jersey, from June 10 to 12. The team will have its final regatta this weekend on the Merrimack River in Lowell at the Mass. Public School Rowing Spring Championship.
Results: Northeast Youth Rowing Championship
Boys
- Boys 2x: Jack Gardiner and Jack Walsh, sixth in finals (7:22.7).
- Boys 2-: Will Thompson and James O’Shea, fifth in finals (7:18.22)
- Boys lightweight 4+: rowers Kyle Veo, Garrett White, Mark Borghesani, and Mitch Densen, with cox Nilay Maity, second in finals (6:53.4)
- Boys 4+: rowers Luca Basile, Cole Winsor, Oliver Perrine, and Justin Hayes, with cox Grace Heavey, second in finals (6:36.7)
Girls
- Girls 2-: Rowers Kamryn Stecyk and Kirsten Thiim. Second in finals (7:57.3).
- Girls 8+: cox Katie Erdos, rowers Caroline Noyes, Thiim, Steyck, Grace Ott, Valentine Bulpin, Ally Goldsher, Erin Smith, and Lindsey Hayes. Sixth in finals (7:00.8)
- Girls lightweight 4+: cox Cammy Farren, rowers Aly Veo, Courtney Robb, Alissa Kong, and Hannah Forgo. Sixth in heat (9:18.6)
Allen Nitschelm is publisher of the “Homesteader” and parent of a BA-B rower.
