Rowers from Vashon Island Junior Crew (VIJC) showed they could hold their own against larger clubs and more experienced rowers at the Green Lake Spring Regatta on Saturday, March 19.
VIJC joined 1,100 other rowers from 15 teams from as far away as Lake Oswego, Ore., to compete on Green Lake in Seattle. The team of 34 members went up against teams of as many as 250.
The most exciting part of the regatta was seeing the potential of the team’s new rowers. Some of the novice rowers raced in varsity and junior varsity events and still placed, which is almost unheard of at an event.
Two Vashon boats placed first in events: the women’s varsity quad and the women’s junior varsity four. The women’s varsity quad consisted of Tera Jane Ripley, Mia Croonquist, Alaina Williams, Avalon Koenig and coxswain Mari Hamper. Katelyn Carter, Ella McConnell, Charlotte Kehoe, Erika Odmark and coxswain Hamper were in the women’s junior varsity four.
Vashon’s master rowers had tremendous success as well, making it to the podium in seven of the eight events they competed in.
Multiple boats earned a second places at the regatta. In the junior women’s quad, Halimah Griffin, Ameline Gibaud, Shannon Lipe, Anna Ripley and coxswain Olivia Sayvetz earned a second-place finish. Ryan Bingham and Tim Hanson got second place in the men’s double. In the women’s open double, Williams and Ella McConnell fought hard to take second place.
In the women’s four, Katelyn Carter, Emmie Kehoe, Charlotte Kehoe, Odmark and coxswain Sarah Warner also finished second. Kelsey Abella, Amelia Ada, Martina Ametteis, Hannah Russell and coxswain Rayna Shinn snatched the silver away in the junior novice women’s four.
In the junior men’s four, Tim Hanson, Isaiah Mosser-Roche, Gus Mag-nuson, Ky Burton and coxswain Sayvetz finished strong in second place.
In the junior men’s novice four, Julian Baca, Alex Wright, Victor Silva, Liam McConnell and coxswain Rayna Shinn worked well together to earn a third-place finish.
VIJC’s next race is the Covered Bridge Regatta in Eugene, Ore., on Saturday, April 9.
— Janet Williams is the publicity chair for the Vashon Island Rowing Club.
