The Norwalk River Rowing Association’s youth team started its fall racing season on Saturday by sending a large and enthusiastic contingent to Saratoga Springs for the Tail of the Fish regatta.
The event, which is held over a three-kilometer course on Fish Creek, marked the first competition for the Norwalk River girls team under new head coach Drew Combs. The girls team raced 12 boats in eight events, coming home with a silver and two bronze medals.
The boys team, coached by Yuri Kolomiets, entered 19 boats in 10 races, and won 11 medals.
And with two Norwalk River boats in the Boys Frosh/Novice 8 and one in the Girls Frosh/Novice Quad, the regatta also introduced a new contingent of young Norwalk River athletes to competitive rowing.
The Novice 8 team, with Charlotte Rigby as coxswain. Photo by Chris Briglin.
In fact the crew of Kyle Brody, Jay Kineon, Jackson Cote, Christian Lawrence, Jason Wade, Jake Brophy, Alex Stepnowsky, Timothy Redpath, Bo Pollio as coxswain , won a bronze medal in the Boys Novice 8 “B” category – making for an impressive start to their rowing careers.
For the girls team, Natalie Partlow and Savannah Driscoll won a bronze medal in the Girls Juniors Double. Victoria Markow won a silver in the Girls Under 17 “B/C” single and Kelsey Ritchey won a bronze in the Girls Under 19 “A” single.
On the boys team, Kris Petreski had the best overall time in the Men’s Open Single event but was awarded a bronze medal. In the Men’s Open Single, times are adjusted for age, and 63-year-old and 65-year-old rowers who finished about a minute and a half behind Kris were given age-adjusted times to win the gold and silver.
Liam McDonough won a silver medal in the Boys Under 19 Single. In the Boys’ Junior Double, Kaare Andersen and Chris Martensson won a bronze medal.
The varsity quad, having a good time. Photo by Chris Briglin.
Kris, Liam, Kaare and Chris teamed up to win a silver medal in the Boys’ First Varsity Quad.
Norwalk River won three medals in the Boys Under 17 Single: Oliver Peacock, bronze in the “A” race; Kevin Lenihan and Brad Hufnagel, silver and bronze, respectively in the “B/C” category.
Norwalk River won a silver in the Boys Second Varsity 8 “B” race. Coxswain James Fagen led a crew of Dane Crameri, Zachary Johnston, Mitchell Ukropina, Jackson Cote, Kaden Lints, Ryan Purdy, Ethan Reichgut, and Teddy Corper.
Matt Rauccio and Peter Siccardi won a bronze in the Boys Junior Double “B” and Oliver Peacock and Kaden Lints won a bronze in “C” race.
The girls second varsity 8. Photo by Chris Briglin.
The Girls First Varsity 8 of Kelsey Ritchey, Jessica Magnoli, Natalie Partlow, Victoria Markow, Sabrina Pastorello, Savannah Driscoll, Emme Crameri and Marina Christakos, with Kailyn Kieffer as coxswain, finished 7th.
The girls second varsity 8 of Quinn Flemming, Sasha Tarling, Mackenzie Cote, Lucy Angus, Amanda Lawrence, Lydia Hoffman, Paige Raymond, and Sheila James, with Charlotte Rigby coxwain., finished 8th.
The girls varsity quad. Photo by Chris Briglin.
The Girls First Varsity quad – Jessica, Victoria, Natalie and Kelsey – finished 8th. The Second Varsity quad, of Amanda Lawrence, Lydia Hoffman, Sheila James and Sasha Tarling, finished 9th.
Kelsey Ritchie, Victoria Markow, Jessica Magnoli and Lucy Angus, with Kailyn Keiffer, as coxswain, finished 9th in the Girls Second Varsity 4-plus. MacKenzie Cote, Quinn Flemming, Paige Raymond and Emme Crameri finished 9th in the Girls Novice Quad despite having the steering mechanism break at the beginning of the race.
In the Boys U17 single, Brad Spiewak finished 12th. Richard Dineen, Lorenzo Deglinnocenti, Laurence Redpath and Bo Pollio finished fifth In the Boys Second Varsity quad.
In the novice races, the crew of Luke Briglin, Ian Trostle, Liam Jenkins, Matt Vissicchio, Adam Harley, Matt Dormer, Evan Goggin, Austin Crowell, with Charolette Rigby as coxwain, had a strong showing in the novice A boat.
A note about the results: race officials gave medals in two categories, A and B/C. With help from the coaches, we did our best to figure out which category each medal winner was in, but the official results sheet does not make it clear, and so for the race in which Norwalk River did not win a medal, the best we could do was list the results as they appear on the official results sheet. Please feel free to email Tom Andersen with corrections. tandersen54@optonline.net
