The victorious girls' varsity 8+ and girls' varsity lightweight 8+ boats bested strong competition to take the gold, making Saugatuck only the second club ever to win both events at nationals in the same year, according to a press release.
Also winning a medal was Saugatuck’s girls' varsity pair, taking the bronze.
The win at nationals by the girls' varsity 8+ capped an undefeated year, in which the crew achieved the rare accomplishment of youth rowing’s “triple crown” – winning the Head of the Charles Regatta, San Diego Crew Classic and Youth National Championships, according to a press release.
“It’s an incredible accomplishment for a club to win a national title, let alone two, as we did at nationals,” said Sharon Kriz, SRC junior director and boys' head coach in a press release. “On the girls’ side, of the 30 rowers we sent to Sarasota, 20 returned home with medals, and 18 of them will be returning for the 2015-16 season. We’re eager to continue our strong performances next year.”
The winning SRC boats included:
- Girls' Varsity 8+ (first place) -- Lelia Boley, Westport; Genevieve Esse, New Canaan; Margaret Manley, Wilton; Grace McGinley, Westport; Alison Morrison, Westport; Lily Pillari, coxswain, Greenwich; Katherine Ratcliffe, Westport; Willemijn ten Cate, Westport; and Nica Wardell, Westport.
- Girls' Varsity Lightweight 8+ (first place) -- Tatiana Chermayeff, Rowayton; Grace Johnson, Westport; Reni Forer, Westport; Camila Meyer-Bosse, Westport; Caroline O’Brien, Darien; Elisabeth O’Brien, Darien; Sophie Pendrill, Scarsdale, NY; Charlotte Powers, coxswain, Fairfield; and Imogen Ratcliffe, Westport.
- Girls' Varsity 2- (third place) -- Ellie Harned, Darien, and Bridget Murphy, Weston.
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