The Vashon Island Junior Crew had an excellent showing at the Brentwood Regatta, held Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1, in Mill Bay, British Columbia.
The event brought 1,700 athletes from 41 clubs from as far away as Australia. Vashon’s team, with 29 members, went up against mostly larger teams with as many as 150 members, and placed in an impressive number of events for its size. Boats that placed first or second and sometimes third moved on to finals.
The Girls Junior A Quad — with Avalon Koenig, Mia Croonquist, Emmie Kehoe, Alaina Williams and coxswain Olivia Sayvetz — took second in their heat and first in the final. It was the first time one of Vashon’s varsity boats has received first place at Brentwood.
In the Boys Junior A Novice Quad, Liam McConnall, Jack Mask, Baxter Call, Julian Baca and coxswain Shannon Lipe placed second and moved their boat to the finals, where they placed fourth.
In the Girls Junior A Novice Quad, Amelia Ada, Kelsey Abella, Anna Ripley, Halimah Griffin, and coxswain Rayna Shinn took control of both their races, placing first in both their first heat and the final.
In the Girls Junior B Novice Quad, Shannon Lipe, Ripley, Hannah Russell, Griffin and coxswain Shinn pulled hard and crushed the other teams, also earning first in their heat and first in their final.
In the Girls Junior A School Eight were Ella McConnell, Katelyn Carter, Charlotte Kehoe, TeraJane Ripley, Emmie Kehoe, Croonquist, Williams, Avalon Koenig and coxswain Sarah Warner. In a close race, they earned third, which took them to the final, where they came in second, beat only the Pymble Ladies College team from Australia
In the Girls Junior B JV Quad were McConnell, Lipe, Hannah Russell, Erika Odmark and coxswain Shinn. The girls received second in their heat and missed a bronze medal in the finals by one stroke, according to coach Steve Full.
In the Boys Junior A JV Double, Ky Burton and Tate Gill took second in their heat and sixth overall.
In the Boys Junior B Double, Alec Spencer and Isaiah Mosser-Rohe received third in their heat and fourth overall.
In the Girls Junior B Double, McConnell and Odmark finished third in their heat and fourth in the finals.
In the Girls Junior A Double, Mia Croonquist and Emmie Kehoe placed third in their heat and sixth overall.
Because of Vashon’s success at Brentwood, the team was invited to row at the University of Washington’s Windmere Opening Day Regatta, which took place on Saturday, May 7.
Their next meet, a regional regatta, will be held Thursday, May 19, through Sunday, May 22, in Vancouver, Wash.
— Janet Williams is the publicity chair for the Vashon Island Rowing Club.
