Bainbridge Island rowed their way past some serious competition at the Northwest Junior Regional Championship Regatta in Vancouver, Wash.
The Girls Lightweight 8+ team wowed lakeside audiences and came in first place in their heat on Friday, May 18. They followed with another first-place win in the final on Saturday.
The win will take the team to the Youth National Regatta in Oak Ridge, Tenn. from June 8-10.
The winning team consists of Annika Torseth on stroke, Isabelle Staff, Hannah Marsing, Makaila O’Brien, Deni Murray, Kate Hathaway, and Vanessa Beck, with Gen Sawyer coxing.
The girls came through with a time of 7:12:94, beating out their competition from the Holy Names Academy at 7:20:01. Mount Baker came in third with a time of 7:21:59.
The Lightweight 8+ team qualified for the final last year, though was unable to compete when one of the rowers didn’t make weight at the last minute. They were prevented from racing.
Head junior coach Tim Goss said the team made a commitment that they would return in 2012 and show why they deserve to win — they did just that.
Saturday’s trophy for the Lightweight 8+ team also set a record as being the only Bainbridge High School team to win in the final. Previously, only club teams have taken home the prize.
The Lightweight 8+ team wasn’t alone in taking home some glory. Three other boats qualified for the national regatta in Oak Ridge. The Girls Varsity 4+ came in second place for their final.
The Boys Varsity 4+ grabbed second place in their final with a narrow lead of a fraction of a second over Lake Oswego.
The Girls Lightweight 4+ qualified for nationals with their second place win at their final. All four members of the team are also on the Lightweight 8+ team.
The triumphs kept coming at the regatta. In the final races, the Boys Novice 4+ came in second place. Boys JV 4+ nabbed third. Girls Novice 4+ took first place. And the girls Second Novice 8+ came in second.
The Boys Second Lightweight 4+ got second place in their final. The Boys Third Varsity 4+ also took second place.
