Westport, CT: The Saugatuck Rowing Club Junior Program had its best ever overall showing at the world-renowned Head of The Charles Regatta, held Oct 20-22, in Boston, Massachusetts, with athletes from Westport, Fairfield, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, and surrounding towns competing.
“The 2023 Head of the Charles was our best performance as a club from our current and Alumni rowers (meaning rowers who rowed as juniors at Saugatuck who now row at colleges and universities). I am so proud of the complete performance from our team. It is really special to have the majority of our boats finish in the top ten of some very competitive Junior categories. I am thrilled and honored to see our Alumni continuing on and winning and placing in the Champ categories. The foundation these athletes have will take them very far in the future.” said Dave Grossman, overall program head and the Junior Men’s Head Coach.
The Junior Rowing Program had six boats compete in the regatta in both the men’s and women’s competitions. These included two youth men’s and two youth women’s varsity 8+, a women’s youth varsity 4+, and a women’s U17 4+ (meaning that all rowers are under 17). All four women’s boats placed in the top ten in their respective races, many of which had ninety entries, the maximum allowed. In a nail-biting finish, the men’s 8+ boat, consisting of George Bentley (coxswain, Fairfield), Jack Kiely (stroke, Westport), Gavin Marshall (Weston), Aidan Montanaro (Fairfield), Ben Whelan (Westport), Theo Herzog (New Haven), Campbell Cohen (Westport), Will Shockley (Fairfield), and Dylan Bhutani (Wilton), placed second – behind only a late-entry from the U.K. – making this the current fastest men’s youth eight boat in the United States. The women’s U17 4+ boat, consisting of Madeline Casano (coxswain, Fairfield), Anne Studnicky (stroke, Weston), Rylie Cordella (Westport), and Kate Weitz (Westport), won gold, defending Saugatuck’s streak of winning in this category at the national scale.
Mike O’Hara, the Girls' Head Coach, said, “I’m extremely proud of these young women. They work so hard every day, and they put their time, talent, heart, and soul into that course. To have four boats in the top ten at the Head of the Charles is really special. It’s the world’s biggest regatta, and they performed on that grand stage for sure.”
To learn more about Saugatuck’s Women’s Junior Rowing program, please attend a special event held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, 11am-2pm at Lululemon in Westport. Rowers from novice and varsity teams and coxswains will talk about their experience and demo erging – a rowing machine workout used to train for peak athletic performance and for rowing on the water. Coaches will be on hand to talk to kids and parents about the benefits of the program. This fun event will also feature giveaways from Lululemon and Saugatuck Rowing Club, along with special treats courtesy of GG & Joe.
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