Oakland Strokes Men's Rowers 2015 Youth National Champions!
Adam Ray
Oakland Strokes sent 23 of their top athletes to compete in the 2015 U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships, held in Sarasota, Florida, June 12-14. Over the three day weekend they competed against 162 high school rowing teams with 1,600 of the USA’s top youth rowers in 18 events.
By the time it was all over, the Strokes Varsity Men had won the gold medal in the marquis event, the Grand Final 8+, with a time of 5:51.813, beating second place Newport Aquatic Center (5:52.173) and third place CRI of Boston (5:53.950). Fellow Bay Area team Marin Rowing placed fourth (5:56.985). The gold medal is the first Men’s National Championship in the Oakland Strokes’ 41 year history.
The Women’s team won the silver medal in the Lightweight Women’s 8+ with a time of 6:52.055, trailing first place Saugatuck by 3.8 seconds, but beating PNRA/Mercer by .40 seconds.
The Strokes Mens 4+ also won the Petite Final in their event with a dramatic come from behind .08 second victory over second place Detroit Boat Club and third place Newport Aquatic Center.
The Varsity Mens 8+ (right to left): Daniel Hogan, Stroke (De La Salle HS), Rhys Daniel (Piedmont HS), Alexandr Lilichenko (Miramonte HS), Michael Cuellar (St. Joseph Notre Dame HS), Kenyon Watson, Coxswain (Miramonte HS), Cameron Chater (Berkeley HS), Connor Olson (Granada HS), Tucker Johnson (Piedmont HS), Max McDonald (Piedmont HS).
The Womens Lightweight 8+ roster includes (right to left) Elizabeth Hofinga, Stroke (Miramonte HS), Jillian Lundstrom (Miramonte HS), Marie Johnson (Miramonte HS), Rileigh Long (Alameda HS), Gray Strandberg, Coxswain (Bishop O’Dowd), Madelynn Prendergast (Head-Royce School), Julia Giovanni (Campolindo HS), Limor Dubrovsky (Acalanes HS), Tenaya McCoy (Berkeley HS).
The Mens 4+ roster includes (right to left) Luke Lawler, Stroke (Las Lomas HS), Brandon Fluegge (Miramonte HS), Nikita Lilichenko (Miramonte HS), Henri Illien (Phillips Academy), Isabella Onken, Coxswain (St. Joseph Notre Dame HS).