CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Pictured left to right are: Boy’s Head Coach and High School Coordinator, Chris Hayes, Hector Diaz of Hartford, Bulkeley HS, Connor Pendray of West Hartford, Hall High School, Kate Moy of Avon, Avon High School, Alex Houpert of West Hartford, Hall High School, Ryan St. Pierre of Bristol, Watkinson School, High School and Adaptive coach, Eric Van de Berg, Olympian award presenter

Our adult and high school rowers continue to win medals against top-level competition at the Head of the Schuylkill.

In 2009 our boys junior four finished first among 43 boats in its division at the 39th annual Head of the Schuylkill Regatta in Philadelphia.  This is a huge accomplishment for this crew – which included students from Bulkeley High in Hartford, Hall High in West Hartford, and Watkinson.  The weekend before, this same group placed 20th out of 76 boats in their division at the Head of the Charles in Boston – the biggest rowing regatta in the world.  That finish guarantees them a highly-coveted slot in next year’s Head of the Charles.

In Philadelphia, our women’s masters eight won a gold medal in the 40-49 age division while our women’s four won a bronze medal in a division open to collegiate crews as well as clubs.  Our women’s masters fours in the 40-49 and 50-59 divisions both won bronze medals. Our men’s masters eight won a bronze medal in the 50-59 division.

Riverfront wins 13 medals at the 2009 United States Rowing Association’s Masters Nationals

The Riverfront Recapture men’s and women’s racing teams joined masters rowers from across the United States in New Jersey August 13-16, 2009 for the USRA Masters National Championship regatta. Over 55 Riverfront competitors (rowers and coxswains) traveled to the events on the Cooper River in Camden, New Jersey. 

The regatta featured more than 1,800 entries from 147 clubs competing for national titles in more than 200 events. The regatta was the largest Masters National Championships in history. Results are available online at www.racetrak.com.

The Riverfront Recapture women’s team, with 23 athletes aged 16 to 66 (although masters rowing requires that rowers be over 21-years of age, junior coxswains are allowed), competed in 12 races.  Five of the Riverfront women’s team entries made the progression from heats to finals, with wins for the Club A4+ and Open AA4+ and a third for the Club A8+.  Overall the Riverfront women’s team won two National Championship gold medals and one bronze.

The Riverfront Recapture men’s team competed with nearly 35 athletes, ranging in age again from high-school-aged coxswains to 70 years old. The men’s team entered 24 events, including singles and doubles.  Riverfront Recapture’s Paul Fitzgerald and Sandor Becz both won bronze medal s in their respective single events.  The Men’s B4+ won a gold medal; the men’s Club A4+, the Club E 8+, Open A8+, and Open B8+ were awarded silver medals, and the C4+, Club B8+, and B4+ placed third. Overall the Riverfront men’s team won 10 National Championship medals.

This was the largest group of Riverfront Masters rowers to compete in the USRA annual Masters Nationals. Previously, Riverfront Recapture has sent masters teams to the Nationals in 2005 (Worcester MA), 2006 (Seattle WA), and 2007 (Oak Ridge TN). Approximately 25 women and 40 men are actively training and competing with the RRI masters team this 2009 season.

US Navy Drops Anchor At Riverfront

A representative of the United States Naval Academy visited Riverfront Recapture’s High School Rowing Program.  Know for its diversity, Riverfront’s high school rowing program was contacted by Nicole Simpson, Head Novice Women’s Rowing Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, as the Academy is trying to add diversity to its officer corps to better reflect the demographics of its enlisted troops.  Those accepted into the Naval Academy attend for free, a value of over $140,000, and receive a monthly stipend.

In the photo, Mrs. Simpson talks with Bulkeley High School sophomore Michael Cole; she also spoke with East Hartford High School senior Carl Berner, although he has already committed to the Army ROTC program at the University of Connecticut.