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Saugatuck Rowers Club Juniors Win Gold At Youth Nationals

WESTPORT, Conn. – Dominating top boats from across the country, Westport’s Saugatuck Rowing Club Juniors brought home two national titles at the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships June 12-14 in Sarasota, Fla.

Rowers from Darien winning gold at Youth Nationals in the girls lightweight eight include Elisabeth and Caroline O'Brien (fourth from left and second from right), Tatiana Chermayeff of Rowayton (far right) and assistant girls coach Gordon Getsinger.

Rowers from Darien winning gold at Youth Nationals in the girls lightweight eight include Elisabeth and Caroline O'Brien (fourth from left and second from right), Tatiana Chermayeff of Rowayton (far right) and assistant girls coach Gordon Getsinger.

The victorious girls' varsity 8+ and girls' varsity lightweight 8+ boats bested strong competition to take the gold, making Saugatuck only the second club ever to win both events at nationals in the same year, according to a press release.

Also winning a medal was Saugatuck’s girls' varsity pair, taking the bronze.

The win at nationals by the girls' varsity 8+ capped an undefeated year, in which the crew achieved the rare accomplishment of youth rowing’s “triple crown” – winning the Head of the Charles Regatta, San Diego Crew Classic and Youth National Championships, according to a press release. 

“It’s an incredible accomplishment for a club to win a national title, let alone two, as we did at nationals,” said Sharon Kriz, SRC junior director and boys' head coach in a press release. “On the girls’ side, of the 30 rowers we sent to Sarasota, 20 returned home with medals, and 18 of them will be returning for the 2015-16 season. We’re eager to continue our strong performances next year.”

The winning SRC boats included:

  • Girls' Varsity 8+ (first place) -- Lelia Boley, Westport; Genevieve Esse, New Canaan; Margaret Manley, Wilton; Grace McGinley, Westport; Alison Morrison, Westport; Lily Pillari, coxswain, Greenwich; Katherine Ratcliffe, Westport; Willemijn ten Cate, Westport; and Nica Wardell, Westport.
  • Girls' Varsity Lightweight 8+ (first place) -- Tatiana Chermayeff, Rowayton; Grace Johnson, Westport; Reni Forer, Westport; Camila Meyer-Bosse, Westport; Caroline O’Brien, Darien; Elisabeth O’Brien, Darien; Sophie Pendrill, Scarsdale, NY; Charlotte Powers, coxswain, Fairfield; and Imogen Ratcliffe, Westport.
  • Girls' Varsity 2- (third place) -- Ellie Harned, Darien, and Bridget Murphy, Weston.

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