Crew Puts in Strong Performance at Clemson

Clemson, South Carolina – High Point Rowing Club produced a strong showing at the Clemson Sprints Regatta on Saturday by earning numerous finals appearances in the premier eights events.

The Clemson Sprints is one of the strongest regional spring competitions, drawing college and youth rowing teams from Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia and the Carolinas.

High Point qualified for the finals in all three of the premier high school eights events, earning bronze in the men’s junior novice eights, and fourth place finishes in both the women’s junior novice and high school varsity eights championships. Novice events are for rowers in their first year of racing. After one year of racing high school rowers must race in varsity events.

High Point also earned a bronze medal finish in the women’s lightweight fours championship.

Addy Millsap and Victoria Goldin carry their oars to shore after racing in the women's novice eights event at Clemson Sprints.
Addy Millsap and Victoria Goldin carry their oars to shore after racing in the women’s novice eights event at Clemson Sprints.

Head coach Gene Kininmonth said he was impressed with the results of the team in Clemson and pointed out that High Point has clearly grown from strength to strength in the past 12 months.

“We saw much stronger competition this week and two take-aways stood out from this event,” said Kininmonth. “Firstly, we have phenomenal athletes on our program – no question. To be finishing top three or four in our events with all the high school programs from so many states here is such a credit to our rowers. The second take away is that if we are going to catch the two or three programs ahead of us we must have an indoor training facility in place for next winter. The elite programs ahead of us this week such as Asheville and Atlanta can either row all though the winter on lakes heated by nuclear power plant cooling systems or they have indoor rowing facilities. We can beat these teams but we clearly need more than three weeks of rowing to do so.”

High Point opened racing at the Clemson Sprints Regatta by winning a bronze medal in the women's junior lightweight fours event. The crew was comprised of stroke Bethany Brake, Maddie Mullins, Emma Lloyd, Kim Pollard, and coxswain Katharine Komsa.
High Point opened racing at the Clemson Sprints Regatta by winning a bronze medal in the women’s junior lightweight fours event. The crew was comprised of stroke Bethany Brake, Maddie Mullins, Emma Lloyd, Kim Pollard, and coxswain Katharine Komsa.

High Point's crew of cox Morgan Sheehan, stroke Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Charles York, Adam Alt, Josh Dasnoit, Austin Young, James Bennett, and bow Ryan Kurtiak winning bronze in the junior novice eights at the Clemson Sprints.
High Point’s crew of cox Morgan Sheehan, stroke Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Charles York, Adam Alt, Josh Dasnoit, Austin Young, James Bennett, and bow Ryan Kurtiak winning bronze in the junior novice eights at the Clemson Sprints.

Abbey Lowdermilk, Maddie Mullins, Bethany Brake, and coxswain Kiki Davis lead High Point's novice women's eight to a program best fourth place result at the Clemson Sprints. High Point finished 5th in this event in 2013.
Abbey Lowdermilk, Maddie Mullins, Bethany Brake, and coxswain Kiki Davis lead High Point’s novice women’s eight to a program best fourth place result at the Clemson Sprints. High Point finished 5th in this event in 2013.

In just its first season of varsity competition High Point's women's varsity crew earned a 4th place finish at the Clemson Sprints Regatta. The crew was comprised of coxswain  Katharine Komsa, stroke Catherine Thompson, Katie Ognovich, Olivia Mangus, Aliute Udoka, Sarah Catto, Morgan Sheehan, Emma Lloyd, and bow Bethany Brake.
In just its first season of varsity competition High Point’s women’s varsity crew earned a 4th place finish at the Clemson Sprints Regatta. The crew was comprised of coxswain Katharine Komsa, stroke Catherine Thompson, Katie Ognovich, Olivia Mangus, Aliute Udoka, Sarah Catto, Morgan Sheehan, Emma Lloyd, and bow Bethany Brake.