On Saturday, Nov. 6, the Vashon Island Rowing Club traveled to Green Lake in Seattle to race in the 2010 Frostbite Regatta. Vashon teams placed in a number of events and took home several first place wins.

The regatta challenged rowers with a 1,000-meter sprint race from the north end to the south end of the lake. Seventeen teams competed from as far away as Mount Baker and Rose City, Ore. Vashon competed in 11 events.

Vahon earned second place in the first event of the day, the master women’s quad. The rowers in this boat were Lisa Huggenvik, Su DeWalt, Kim Goforth and Debby Jackson.

In the junior women’s quad were Avalon Koenig, Mia Croonquist, Alaina Williams, Emmie Kehoe and coxswain Olivia Sayvetz, and they earned first place.

In the junior women’s open quad, which earned second place, were Halimah Griffin, Kelsey Abella, Amelia Ada, Anna Ripley and coxswain Liam McConnell.

In the junior men’s four were Ryan Bingham, Isaiah Mosser-Rohe, Alex Soriano, Alec Spencer and coxswain Mari Hamper. They worked hard and placed third.

Also placing third were Tate Gill, Ky Burton, Gus Magnuson, Tim Hanson and coxswain Sarah Warner in the men’s varsity quad.

Both the novice men’s and women’s fours decidedly won first place. In the men’s open four were Griff Jennings, Julian Baca, Baxter Call, Liam McConnell and coxswain Anna Ripley. In the women’s open four were Halimah Griffin, Kelsey Abella, Amelia Ada, Anna Ripley and coxswain Liam McConnell.

In the women’s junior four, Tera Jane Ripley, Charlotte Kehoe, Erika Odmark, Katelyn Carter and coxswain Mari Hamper earned first place.

In the men’s lightweight four, Alec Spencer, Ky Burton, Ryan Bingham, Tim Hanson and coxswain Olivia Sayvetz earned third place.

Placing fourth in a mixed open double were Alex Soriano and Ella McConnell.

The last race of the day was the women’s open varsity eight. Avalon Koenig, Mia Croonquist, Alaina Williams, Emmie Kehoe, Tera Jane Ripley, Charlotte Kehoe, Erika Odmark, Katelyn Carter and coxswain Sara Warner placed third in the event.

Coach Steve Full was pleased with the entire team’s performance. Especially exciting were the first place finishes from the novice boats.

Vashon Island Junior Crew is a cooperative program between the Vashon Park District and the Vashon Island Rowing Club and is open to kids in eighth grade through 12th grade. Registration opens Dec. 1 for the next rowing session, which will begin on Jan. 17. To register, stop by the park district offices or visit www.vashonrowing.org.

— Janet Williams is the publicity chair for the Vashon Island Rowing Club.