Fast Racing at the USRowing Southwest Youth Championships!
Adam Ray
Lake Natoma, Gold River, CA - May 5-7, 2016
Southwest Youth Championship Results
The Oakland Strokes finished their season with fast racing and multiple medals at the Southwest Youth Rowing Championship. Held at Lake Natoma near Folsom, this regatta draws high school participants from California and beyond, including as far as Arizona and Utah. The 2017 edition of the regatta hosted 38 clubs in 36 events in 3 days. It also serves as the qualification regatta for the National Youth Championship in Sarasota Florida on June 9-11. The top 3 winners for the Varsity and Lightweight Men’s and Women’s events will be invited to compete at National Youth Championship Regatta.
Women win Lightweight 8+ gold medal
The Lightweight Women’s Eight led the way with a dominating performance, storming home to win their event by 9 seconds! That victory sends them to Youth Nationals along with the bronze medalist Women’s Quad. The entire Women’s Varsity squad had a great weekend, winning gold in the Second Varsity and Third Varsity Eights. The Fourth Varsity Eight won an unofficial championship by finishing as the top Fourth Varsity in the Third Varsity event.
Men’s Third Varsity final with Gold Medalist 3V in foreground and Bronze Medalist 4V in background
The Varsity Men had a solid weekend, highlighted by the Third and Fourth Varsity Eights winning gold and bronze in the Third Varsity Event. That bronze medal also gives the Fourth Varsity 8+ an unofficial championship as the highest placing Fourth Varsity Eight. The rest of the Men’s Varsity squad raced well, earning silver medals in the Men’s Varsity 8+ and Men’s JV8+. On the second day of the regatta the Varsity Men added a silver in the Lightweight 8+, a gold in the Men’s 4-, and a bronze in the Men’s Varsity 4+. These placings give coach Brian de Regt many options to send athletes to the Youth National Championships.
Women win Novice 4+ gold medal
The Women’s Novice squad ended their season strongly, winning gold in the Novice 4+ event. The Novice Eight added a hard fought bronze medal. The squad showed their depth by placing crews into the Grand Finals in all of the events in which they competed, a rare feat at this tough regatta.
Men win silver in the Novice 8+
The Men’s Novice squad raced hard all weekend and bring home a silver medal in the Novice Eight and Four, as well as bronze medals in the Second Novice Eight and Freshman Eight events.
Thank you Seniors!!
The Oakland Strokes wants to thank all of the seniors who raced at the Southwest Youth Championships for the final time. We are looking forward to seeing what you accomplish! Thank You Seniors!!
Full List of Medalists:
GOLD
Women’s Lightweight 8+
Women’s Second Varsity 8+
Women’s Third Varsity 8+
Men’s Third Varsity 8+
Men’s Open 4-
Women’s Novice 4+
SILVER
Men’s Varsity 8+
Men’s Lightweight 8+
Men’s Second Varsity 8+
Men’s Novice 8+
Men’s Novice 4+
BRONZE
Women’s Varsity 4x
Men’s Fourth Varsity 8+ (in 3V event)
Men’s Varsity 4+
Women’s Novice 8+
Men’s Freshman 8+
Men’s Second Novice 8+