Greenwich Crew, a perennial powerhouse in the world of rowing, once again showcased their dominance at the 2024 USRowing Northeast Youth Championships.
Photo courtesy Greenwich Crew
Photo courtesy Greenwich Crew
Photo courtesy Greenwich Crew
Photo courtesy Greenwich Crew
The boathouse secured the Overall Points Trophy, ahead of 56 other junior programs in the Northeast, a program-wide goal demonstrating Greenwich Crew’s strength. The program also took home the following points trophies: Men’s Youth, Women’s Youth, and Novice. Their remarkable performance culminated in an impressive haul of 29 medals, with 12 golds highlighting their success. With the Greenwich Crew Women’s Team claiming 15 medals and their Men’s counterparts securing 14 medals, the club reinforced its position as a preeminent force in the sport.
The event unfolded on the Merrimack River in Lowell, Massachusetts, over the weekend of May 18-19. A total of 57 clubs from across the Northeast Region participated this year, resulting in 487 entries and over 2000 athletes. Several of the triumphant crews will advance to the USRowing Youth Nationals in Sarasota, Florida, scheduled for June 6-9, 2024.
In a display of exceptional strength and endurance, the Women’s Youth 8+ clinched 1st place in a highly competitive race, securing a gold medal for the sixth consecutive year. The crew of Saria Mitchell (coxswain), Adair Beck, Percy Wayne, Catherine Ruf, Julia Doss, Sofia Brauweiler, Phelan Bryant, Mariel Ratner, and Elizabeth Reid crossed the finish line with open water and an impressive time of 06:52.44.
Not to be outdone, the Women’s 2V 8+ (A) also took the gold in their race with both resolve and technique. Rowed by Gabriella O’Meara (coxswain), Elizabeth Owens, Scarlett Hopson, Cara Smith, Linnea Barrachin, Kateri Daly, Chloe
Sernick, Ana Sucic, and Darin Wilkowski, the 2V8+ finished with a notable time of 07:05.40.
Making themselves known, the Women’s Youth 4+ crew earned another gold medal for the boathouse. Rowed by Kayla Jaffe (coxswain), Margaret Owens, Caitlin O’Mara, Liana Hoffman, and Katharine Kerko, the crew displayed grit and determination securing first place at 07:33.94.
Further exemplifying the depth of Greenwich Crew’s program, both the Women’s U17 8+ and the Women’s U16 8+ emerged victorious. The Women’s U17 8+ took the gold medal in an impressive race to the finish and a time of 07:26.44. Rowed by Lila Mootabar (coxswain), Elisabeth Schmitz, Grier McKenzie, Hope Hyde, Lynn Gulli, Elia Amaro, Madison Northon, McKenna Brewer, and Lila Salemi. The Women’s U16 8+ took gold with a finish time of 07:40.19. All under 16 years of age, the U16 8+ boat was skillfully rowed by Alejandra Martinez (coxswain), Sydney Perez, Evelyn Roach, Lily Higgins, Rachel Shereck, Alexandra Laverge, Victoria Bergholt, Niamh O’Donovan, and Maggie Barratt.
Women’s Head Coach Paul Ruggeberg expressed his pride in the team’s achievement, stating, “Earning the Overall Points Trophy for the Women’s Team at Northeast Regionals demonstrates the athletes’ commitment to the sport of rowing and the depth of our program at Greenwich Crew. We are thrilled that the athletes’ hard work has paid off. These results reflect the entire team’s dedication to the sport and determination to win.”
In the fiercely contested Men’s Youth 8+ event, the crew rowed by Sam Jaffe (coxswain), Maximilian Willott, Neelam Govindaraj, James Markline, Marcus Chung, Alex Willott, Oliver Willot, Thomas Fiorito, and Ryosei Tanakamaru secured yet another gold medal, showcasing technique, stamina, and determination, finishing with an imposing time of 06:08.12. Greenwich Crew’s dominance in this category continues, with the team defending their title for the past three years.
Adding to the club’s haul, the Men’s 2V 8+ also took the gold in their race. Rowed by Estella Zeppelin (coxswain), Benjamin Brogan, Sebastian Estela, Peter Murphey, Henry Cullen, Henry Cullen, Cristofer Santanna, Thomas Stowe, Hunter Garcia, and Graydon Raabe, the 2V 8+ crossed the finish line first with resolve and a notable time of 06:31.62.
The Men’s 1V 4+ would not be left behind and took the gold medal in a determined performance and noteworthy finish time of 06:57.83. The Men’s 1V 4+ was rowed by Annie Clark (coxswain), Panagiotis Giannakopoulos, Sam Wells, Carlo Lorenzo Capitanucci, and Cooper Sernick.
Men’s Co-Head Coach Cary Wasserman commended the athletes for their outstanding performance, stating, “The achievements of our team were hard- earned over countless hours and dedication to the sport. Our athletes demonstrated impressive grit in a highly competitive regatta. Winning the Team Points Trophy is what Greenwich Crew is all about. Every athlete on the team is an integral contributor to our club.”
In addition to the above races, gold medals were achieved in the following races: Women’s Youth 2nd 4+, Men’s Youth 2nd 4+, Women’s Novice 8+, Men’s Novice 8+, and Men’s Novice 4+.
The club’s consistent success is a testament to the commitment, passion, and talent of Greenwich Crew’s coaching roster.
“The coaching staff embodies a team-first mentality that drives excellence,” Director of Rowing, Mike Wieneke, said, adding, “Every athlete and every coach played a role in the whole program achieving the goal of winning the Overall Points Trophy. The results of Northeast Championships reflect Greenwich Crew’s commitment to being the leading example of excellence in rowing.”
Greenwich Crew, established in 2005, is a premier rowing organization with a rich history. Based in Greenwich, Greenwich Crew fosters a community of athletes in an environment that is safe, challenging, and fun. Through hard work, integrity, and intentional inclusion, we strive to be the leading example of excellence in rowing.