High Point Rowing Club celebrated its second birthday this weekend with Class Races, which also included the club’s Masters rowers, followed by a potluck brunch for rowers, families and friends at Oak Hollow Lake.
The club had much to celebrate after two years, with the addition of the Masters program for adults and a new program for Middle School students from public and private schools across the Triad.
Six eight man crews lined the start of the race course at Skeet Club Bridge to race the full extent of Oak Hollow Lake to Johnson Street Bridge. High School crews were assigned line-ups by class year and the Masters were assigned boats by experience level.
In a hard fought battle that played out from start to finish, the Junior Crew led by Victoria Goldin, were finally able to pull away from the Seniors in the closing stages to win by 10 seconds.
Victoria Goldin lead her crew of fellow high school juniors to victory at the 2014 Class Races. The crew was comprised of coxswain Olivia Corriere, stroke Victoria Goldin, Colin Howard, Adam Alt, Aliute Udoka, Olivia Mangus, Mac Warwick, Quinn Eury, and bow Kyle Koval.
Following the races Club founder Gene Kininmonth spoke about the gift of the sport of rowing. “Simplicity. The pursuit of boat speed. The production of the very fastest crews we can assign. The building year on year of a program. And in the process learning how to live life to the fullest and forging friendships among crewmates that will last a lifetime. To me, this is what the sport of rowing is all about,” said Kininmonth.
“We have much to celebrate this morning on this two year anniversary,” said Kininmonth. “Thank you for making this such a wonderful club. Cheers to each of you for making this past year so incredible and may there be many more years for High Point Rowing Club.” High Point Rowing Club directors Gene Kininmonth and Mary Horan Hollingsworth observe the launching of the crews at the team’s 2nd Anniversary.
Next up for the club is the season opening race at the Carolina Chase Regatta in Raleigh on September 27.
The following week the club will host the High Point Autumn Rowing Festival at Oak Hollow Lake on October 4th. Regatta Chair Mary Horan is expecting over 70 boats to enter from colleges and clubs across the state.
Boys and girls attending any Triad area school (Yrs 7 -12) are currently eligible to join the team. No experience necessary. Adults will have the opportunity to join a learn to row class in October. Email contact@highpointrowing.com or see the Registration page for details.
Triangle crosses the finish post with High Point in the Middle School/3rd Novice Crew Exhibition event at the 2014 High Point Regatta.
The Fall Youth Rowing Season has arrived and it is not too late to join the Crew!
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!!!
The Fall season runs from now through November 2 (Weekend rowing will continue through December subject to favorable weather). Rowing sessions are offered Monday through Friday in the afternoons from 4:15pm until 6:30pm and at 9:00am on Saturday mornings. During the week we can accommodate Greensboro and Winston-Salem rowers arriving as late as 4:35pm.
The program offers special rates for middle school students and an introductory rate for high school students. Please see the Register page for details on fees.
The program is designed for students entering Year 8 – 12. Mature 7th grade students will be considered in exceptional circumstances. No experience is necessary. New members must have a parent complete the waiver and swim form found on the registration page.
FAQS: I see lots of photos of girls on your site. Is there a boys team?
Yes! We have a boys crew and it is one of the most competitive teams in the southeast region of the United States. Numbers are quickly growing as word gets out in the Triad.
Will there be another Crew Interest Meeting to find out more about joining the team?
Yes. The Crew Open House/Parent MEeting will take place at Oak Hollow Lake on Saturday, August 23 at 9am. Please email the team at contact@highpointrowing.com for more information.
Where does the team row?
The team is based at beautiful Oak Hollow Lake. For directions see this link
Are all practices mandatory?
No. Attendance is never taken so you if you cannot make it to all practice sessions that is OK. Keep in mind that like anything in life you only get out of something what you put into it. We find that the longer our rowers are on the team the more committed they become.
When is the Crew season?
Crew is a year round sport comprised of three distinct seasons.
Fall Season: This season begins in August and the team will row through to early December, competing in scrimmages and boat races called regattas against other rowing programs in October and November.
Spring Season: Rowing begins in mid-February and races begin in late March and continue through May.
Summer season: A great time to participate in a Summer Rowing Camp to learn to row.
Do I have to row all seasons? No. For example, a student may wish to row in the fall season and then play another sport such as Baseball or soccer in the spring. Rowing is a great conditioning activity for other sports and many athletes use it for cross-training purposes.
Will rowing help me get into college? Our high school seniors earned rowing scholarships valued on average of $29,000 this year. For many high school students, experience in rowing may just be the best extra curricular activity they could take on outside of the classroom for getting into college. For girls especially, there are serious advantages to being a rower. Colleges need lots of female rowers to balance out large male football teams. Consider this, UNC has 60 girls on their women’s rowing roster. Princeton University has 140 women on their rowing team. Wisconsin has even more!
Do you want to be applying to great colleges like UNC, Princeton or Wisconsin as a volleyball player or as a rower?
I have never rowed before. When is the best day to come down to learn?
ASAP! This week is ‘Sneak Peak Week’ for new students to try out rowing at Oak Hollow Lake. These learn to row sessions will take place during the team’s regular practice times. (Cost is $50 for lessons Mon-Fri). Email contact@highpointrowing.com to sign up.
Does everyone get to race?
Everyone who regularly attends rowing practice sessions gets to race. At rowing regattas we will race in a number of different racing classes such as Varsity, JV, Novice (first year rowers) and Middle School. We will even race in mixed crews of boys and girls.
Racing in Chattanooga: High Point’s youth novice eight crew was comprised of Kess Hendrix, Olivia Mangus, Megan Critchley, Jessica Critchley, Aine Mills, Aislinn Antrim, Zoe Kelley, Cara Mills, and coxswain Miles Hendrix.
High point Rowing Club will host a 3-day Learn to Row Clinic for students entering 8th grade or above at any Triad area school this week from Wednesday through Friday. The clinic will be held at Oak Hollow Lake each day from 4:30pm – 6:15pm.
No prior experience in rowing is needed. Please click here for directions. Total cost for the three day clinic is $35.
“The purpose of this rowing clinic is to give students the opportunity to try out rowing for the first time before they go back to school. This will give them enough experience to help make a determination as to whether this is the sport they wish to do in the Fall semester,” says chief coach Gene Kininmonth.
Participants should wear flip flops (not running shoes) and general running attire suitable for the weather. Do not wear baggy shorts as these will get caught in the moving seats in the boat.
Participants must be confident swimmers as a safety precaution and should have their parents sign the waiver and swim form on the Register page on this website and bring it with them to the first session with their payment.
Rowing is now the fastest growing sport in the Triad with many students switching from other sports such as swimming, cross country, and soccer. Click here for some of the many reasons why high school students should try out the sport. The average college rowing scholarship of High Point Rowing Club’s high school seniors in 2014 was $29,000.
Students wishing to participate for the first time should email Coach Gene Kininmonth at contact@highpointrowing.com in advance.
Due to the popularity of our summer program, High Point Rowing Club is excited to announce the “Masters Fall Rowing” for adults at Oak Hollow Lake. The purpose of Masters Fall Rowing is to foster healthy living in a fun team environment for adults through the wonderful sport of rowing.
No prior rowing experience is necessary.
“Masters” is High Point Rowing Club’s answer to the high interest in rowing among adults in the Triad.
“Since High Point Rowing Club was founded less than two years ago we have received lots of interest from adults wishing to try out this sport,” says club organizer Gene Kininmonth. “Almost 80 adults participated in our summer Masters program and we expect our Fall program to sell out quickly.”
Format: For the 2014 inaugural Fall season, it’s expected that rowers will be selected into crews based on their rowing experience. Participants with no prior experience will start with a learn-to-row format. As technique and stamina improve, a more competitive format will be adopted. For safety reasons, participants must be confident swimmers. In addition to rowing, participants will be expected to serve on occasions as coxswains, the member of the crew that steers the boat and makes the calls.
Dates and Times: Mondays and Thursdays starting August 14 ending October 2, from 6pm to 7:30pm. Participants will have the opportunity to race at the High Pont Autumn Rowing Festival on October 4 at Oak Hollow Lake.
Attire: Tee shirt, form-fitting shorts, and flip-flops are usual attire. Loose fitting shorts will likely catch in the “slide” (where the rowing seat moves back and forth in the boat). Bring a water bottle too! Sunglasses are good.
Fall Regatta: On October 4th, participants will have the opportunity to race at the High Point Autumn Rowing Festival for an additional fee ($35).
Cost: $235 per rower for 15 sessions. No partial refund for missed sessions. Check with your company’s wellness program for full or partial reimbursement.
More Info: Call Gene at 257-9009 or email contact@highpointrowing.com
Oak Hollow Lake: High Point Rowing Club will host a one-week Power Camp for Triad area high school students who have already competed one year in another sport. This fast-paced one-week camp is designed for students seeking to ultimately play an NCAA sport in college and earn a potential scholarship. (Statistics)
NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN ROWING IS REQUIRED.
During each session, participants will learn the fundamentals of rowing. Potential rowers will learn about the sport, equipment, and terminology, as well as the training required to compete on a collegiate varsity rowing squad. All athletes will participate in both land and water workouts on Oak Hollow Lake.
“These is an intense one week clinic on what it takes to get a scholarship into a university like Harvard or Carolina,” says chief coach Gene Kininmonth, who guided first year High Point rowers Katie Ognovich and Catherine Thompson to scholarships at the Universities of Oklahoma and Wisconsin this fall.
Kininmonth says that many high school students reach their maximum potential in other sports in high school and realize they are just not going to reach the levels needed to play in college. “Rowing is the perfect sport for these talented athletes to transfer to because the opportunities to compete in college are so great.”
• No experience necessary
• Learn teamwork & camaraderie
• Develop insights into the college recruiting process
• Largest and most successful youth rowing program in the Triad
All students should be confident swimmers for safety and a parent must sign the Waiver and Swim form, which can be downloaded on the Registration page.
Dates & Times: Each day at 7:15am – 9:30am from Monday August 4 through Friday, August 8.
Cost: $110 which must be paid by check in advance (includes a crew T-shirt) – No refunds.
High Point, NC – Oak Hollow Lake will be the venue for the inaugural High Point Autumn Rowing Festival on Saturday, October 4th, the regatta’s Board of Directors has announced. The 2014 Regatta is hosted by High Point Rowing Club and will feature open, youth, collegiate and masters time trial races.
“We look forward to welcoming the best crews from across the Southeast region of the United States to compete at the 2014 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival,” says Regatta Secretary Mary Horan. “Oak Hollow Lake is a beautiful venue for hosting aquatic events and especially for rowing. The City of High Point is very supportive of emerging sports and recreational activities and I expect this year’s festival to draw hundreds of competitors and spectators from across the region.”
The 5,000 meter race course is a particularly exciting one for both rowers and coxswains. The head race begins with a 2,000m straight followed by an almost 180 degree turn to starboard and then 500m later there is a 90 degree turn port going into the final straight past the spectator viewing area.
Racing will commence at 10:00am. PARTICIPANT INFORMATION
Clubs from within North Carolina and surrounding states wishing to participate can register crews online at RegattaCentral. Directions
The 2014 High Point Rowing Festival will take place at Oak Hollow Lake in High Point, NC. For GPS please use the address 3700 Waterview Road, High Point, NC 27265. This will bring you to the gate entrance of the parking lot at the lake where boats will launch. Note this is not a mailing address for the Club.
MEDIA: PRESS INFORMATION Requesting Credentials
Credentials for the 2014 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival are available to all local and national print, radio, television and online media. To obtain credentials, contact Gene Kininmonth at (336) 257-9009. Credentials and parking passes will be mailed out in advance or may be picked up at the gate entrance on arrival. Media Center
Media headquarters for the 2014 Rowing Festival will be the Media Center at
Oak Hollow Lake. The Media Center is equipped with Wi-Fi access. The Media Center will also accommodate interviews. At the conclusion of each event, as available, race
winners will be brought to the interview area for media access. Limited parking is available for daily print, online and television media (pass required). All television stations that will be bringing in satellite trucks should call Gene Kininmonth (office: 336-257-9009) to arrange for vehicle access. Photographers
Photographers wishing to obtain action shots on the racecourse may be accommodated in a media boat on a first-come, first-served basis. The media boat will be restricted to designated sections of the course and cannot “race” to keep pace with competing boats. Please arrive at the Media Center 60 minutes before you need to be on the water.
Google Earth photo of the 5,000 meter race course for the High Point Autumn Rowing Festival.
High Point Rowing Club has hired Allie Davis as its new varsity girls rowing coach, the team has announced.
In addition to her role with the youth program, Davis’ coaching responsibilities will also include the adult Masters Summer program.
“I am so pleased Allie Davis has joined our program,” chief coach Gene Kininmonth said. “There is real artistry to being a rowing coach and Allie brings to our team a skill set built over a lifetime of experience in the sport.”
Communication skills are natural to Davis, who was the NCAA Division I coxswain for the women’s rowing program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill last season after having previously coached competitive Masters programs in her home state of Ohio.
Allie Davis, the former chief coxswain at Carolina, is now the varsity girls rowing coach at High Point Rowing Club.
Davis takes over the reigns of the varsity girls from Kininmonth, who previously directed both the boys and girls teams. Kininmonth will now continue his focus on the boys program.
According to Davis, High Point Rowing Club has the potential to grow exponentially in the coming years. “There is a really positive energy on this team,” says Davis who sees a big future for the club in both adult and youth rowing. “We have an incredibly enthusiastic new group of adults who have just discovered the sport and that is exciting. With Title IX regulations, women’s rowing is growing in the NCAA making it much more common to find college scholarship money and admissions slots for talented female high school athletes. So, I am looking forward to helping all of our rowers reach their potential in a way that can truly make a significant difference in their lives.”
NOTE: PLACES ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROGRAM BEGINNING TOMORROW. “ROW WELL & LIVE!”
The Tuesday -Thursday Summer Masters Rowing Program quickly sold out in High Point with over 50 participants joining.
Due to popular demand among adults in the Triad, High Point Rowing Club has added an additional Masters Summer Rowing program to the schedule. Adults with little or no rowing experience can now register to row on Oak Hollow Lake on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6pm – 7:30pm.
Over new 50 adults are currently rowing in the Tuesday – Thursday program.
The purpose of Masters Summer Rowing is to foster healthy living in a fun team environment for adults through the wonderful sport of rowing. No prior rowing experience is necessary.
“Masters” is High Point Rowing Club’s answer to the high interest in rowing among adults in the Triad. Participants can join as an individual and be grouped into a crew. Or, participants can join as part of a group of eight from your corporation or civic or social group such as a Rotary Club or Junior League.
“Since High Point Rowing Club was founded less than two years ago we have received lots of interest from adults wishing to try out this sport,” says club organizer Gene Kininmonth. “This is a really cost effective way that adults in the Triad can learn to row and get in great shape this summer.”
Format: For the 2014 inaugural summer season, it’s expected that rowers will have no prior experience and will start with a learn-to-row format. For safety reasons, participants must be confident swimmers. If you join as part of a corporation or group you will be assigned a coach and a coxswain (person in the shell who steers and calls commands). As technique and stamina improve, a more competitive format will be adopted.
Dates and Times: Mondays and Wednesdays starting June 23 ending August 6, from 6pm to 7:30pm.
Attire: Tee shirt, form-fitting shorts, and flip-flops are usual attire. Loose fitting shorts will likely catch in the “slide” (where the rowing seat moves back and forth in the boat). Bring a water bottle too! Sunglasses are good.
Summer Fun Regatta: On August 6, there will be a final 500m sprint race just for fun – OK, and maybe some bragging rights too! Medals will be awarded to the winners. All competitors will be awarded a Masters Rowing tee shirt. A BBQ will follow.
Cost: $200 per rower. No partial refund for missed sessions. Check with your company’s wellness program for full or partial reimbursement.
Must be 21+. More Info: Call Gene at 257-9009 or email contact@highpointrowing.com
Due to popular demand, the 2014 Masters Summer Rowing Program being held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings is sold out.
“Over 50 adults registered and paid for the summer rowing program at Oak Hollow Lake and unfortunately we have had to turn away another dozen or so more,” said chief coach Gene Kininmonth. “We simply do not have the boats to accommodate any more – every seat is filled,” he said.
High Point Rowing Club is now looking into adding sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays to help meet the growing interest in the sport among Triad adults. Interested participants should email Gene at contact@highpointrowing.com for more information.
High Point Rowing Club is excited to announce the “Masters Summer Rowing Program” for adults. The purpose of Masters Summer Rowing is to foster healthy living in a fun team environment for adults through the wonderful sport of rowing. No prior rowing experience is necessary.
“Masters” is High Point Rowing Club’s answer to the high interest in rowing among adults in the Triad. Participants can join as an individual and be grouped into a crew. Or, participants can join as part of a group of eight from your corporation or civic or social group such as a Rotary Club or Junior League.
“Since High Point Rowing Club was founded less than two years ago we have received lots of interest from adults wishing to try out this sport,” says club organizer Gene Kininmonth. “This is a really cost effective way that adults in the Triad can learn to row and get in great shape this summer.”
Format: For the 2014 inaugural summer season, it’s expected that rowers will have no prior experience and will start with a learn-to-row format. For safety reasons, participants must be confident swimmers. If you join as part of a corporation or group you will be assigned a coach and a coxswain (person in the shell who steers and calls commands). As technique and stamina improve, a more competitive format will be adopted.
Dates and Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays starting June 17 ending August 7, from 6pm to 7:30pm.
Attire: Tee shirt, form-fitting shorts, and flip-flops are usual attire. Loose fitting shorts will likely catch in the “slide” (where the rowing seat moves back and forth in the boat). Bring a water bottle too! Sunglasses are good.
Summer Fun Regatta: On August 7, there will be a final 500m sprint race just for fun – OK, and maybe some bragging rights too! Medals will be awarded to the winners. All competitors will be awarded a Masters Rowing tee shirt. A BBQ will follow.
Cost: $200 per rower for 12 sessions. No partial refund for missed sessions. Check with your company’s wellness program for full or partial reimbursement.
Must be 21+. More Info: Call Gene at 257-9009 or email contact@highpointrowing.com
The awards table at the 2014 Spring Crew Banquet for High Point Rowing Club.
Oak Hollow Lake – High Point Rowing Club celebrated the youth rowing program at the annual Spring Crew Banquet last night by honoring the rowers and in particular the high school seniors who will graduate in just weeks from now.
Following a delicious pot luck feast, the evening’s celebrations were kicked off by Grimsley HS students, Quinn Eury and Aliute Udoka, who sang an inspiring duet version of the National Anthem, which brought many students and parents to near tears by their beautiful performance.
Mary Horan, who is parent liaison to the team and a director of the non-profit board, then proceeded with introductory remarks by thanking parents of the rowers for their generous support of the team, in particular Susie Alt and Cathy Howard for hosting the food tables at all crew regattas.
The evening then took on a humorous twist with Bishop McGuinness sophomore Emma Lloyd entertaining the audience with rower awards based on fitting superlatives. These awards have now become a popular annual tradition with the crew.
Next up chief coach Gene Kininmonth presented The York Cup to the crew that recorded the fastest time from Skeet Club bridge to Johnson Street bridge during the previous twelve months. Following this Coach Kininmonth thanked the team’s captains, Sarah Catto, Katie Ognovich, and Andrew Wright for their service to the team and then announced the new Captains for 2014, Addie Millsap, Kim Pollard, Adam Alt, and Colin Howard. Coach then presented awards to rowers for ‘Most Improved’, ‘Rookie of the Year’, and ‘Rower of the Year’.
The most important part of the ceremonies then arrived as seniors Catherine Thompson, Sarah Catto, and Katie Ognovich were honored and thanked for their service to the crew. Emotions ran high as the three seniors each made stirring speeches, each reflecting on their own personal experiences of High Point Rowing Club.
Winning the privilege to drink a Toast from The York Cup in 2014 were Margaux Blanchard, Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Adam Alt, Ryan Kurtiak, Jackie Ognovich, Aliute Udoka, Victoria Goldin, and Maddie Mullins.High Point Rowing Club’s “Most Improved” Rowers for 2014: Andrew Wright & Jackie Ognovich.2014 Rookies of the Year: Colin Howard and Aliute Udoka.High Point Rowing Club’s 2014 Male Rower of the Year is Adam Alt.2014 Female Rower of the Year (pictured with chief coach Gene Kininmonth): Katie Ognovich.Seniors say farewell: Katie Ognovich (University of Oklahoma), Catherine Thompson (University of Wisconsin), and Sarah Catto (Liberty University).Team photo on the dock – an annual High Point Rowing Club tradition.
With just days left before the season end a new record has been set by an eligible crew for the Bridge to Bridge Time Trial.
Throughout each year, rowers from various segments of High Point Rowing Club, form an eight-man crew and race against the clock from Skeet Club Bridge to Johnson Street Bridge. At the end of the spring season, the crew recording the fastest time over the previous 12 months is recognized at the Annual Spring Banquet.
All crews wishing to challenge for the fastest time must be comprised of the following athletes:
1.) All members of the crew must be currently enrolled in high school. (the Summer following your senior year makes you ineligible!)
2.) At least two and no more than four male rowers in the boat. A coxswain may be a fifth male member of the crew.
3.) At least two of the rowers must be in their novice year.
Times must be recorded by a member of the coaching staff who has informed the rowing director in advance that a B2B Time Trial challenge will be made.
On May 16th, the following crew recorded the fastest year to date B2B Time Trial of 14 minutes 45 seconds:
Coxswain Margaux Blanchard
Stroke Andrew Wright
7. Colin Howard
6. Adam Alt
5. Ryan Kurtiak
4. Jackie Ognovich
3. Aliute Udoka
2. Victoria Goldin
Bow Maddie Mullins
Year to date the fastest B2B Time Trial recorded is 14 minutes 45 seconds on May 16th by coxswain Margaux Blanchard, stroke Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Adam Alt, Ryan Kurtiak, Jackie Ognovich, Aliute Udoka, Victoria Goldin and Maddie Mullins.
Sarasota, Florida – High Point Rowing Club concluded its spring season of racing here on Sunday with finals appearances in the Women’s Single Sculls for Katie Ognovich and Catherine Thompson, and a semi finals appearance for the squad’s women’s novice eight.
In the Women’s Singles final, Katie Ognovich finished 4th and Catherine Thompson finished 6th.
High Point was highly favored to advance to the finals of the Women’s Novice Eights when a foot stretcher came loose in the final stages hampering one of the rowers from rowing any more than arms and bodies and the crew was quickly passed by St. Andrews High School.
Chief Coach Gene Kininmonth said he was really pleased with the efforts of all the High Point rowers in Sarasota. “It was unfortunate that we had the equipment issue but sometimes that is just part of boat racing. Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want. These athletes can take the hard knocks and they will come back stronger for it.”
Sarasota, Florida – High Point Rowing Club enjoyed an outstanding first day of boat racing at the USRowing Southeast Regional Championships on Saturday by qualifying for the finals in three of the four crews entered.
Katie Ognovich opened racing for High Point by finishing in the top three in her heat to earn a place in Sunday’s six-boat Women’s Singles Championship final.
Not to be outdone, in the next heat High Point’s Catherine Thompson also placed in the top three scullers to join Katie in tomorrow’s championship.
High Point’s third crew to progress to Sunday’s races was the women’s novice eight crew of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Kim Pollard, Maddie Mullins, Junior Ognovich, Aliute Udoka, Abbey Lowdermilk, Hayden Davis, Victoria Goldin, and bow Addy Millsap.
Oak Ridge, Tennessee – High Point Rowing Club’s sweep squad continued its ascent in the high school regional ranks at the Dogwood Regatta on Melton Lake on Saturday. The squad narrowed the gap significantly with regional rivals Atlanta and Asheville from its previous outing at the Clemson Sprints two weeks ago in South Carolina.
The Dogwood Regatta concluded the team’s regular spring racing season with select crews continuing on to the USRowing Southeast Regional Championships in Sarasota, Florida in two weeks.
With the Dogwood Regatta drawing over 500 crews in different boat classes from as far away as Chicago and Detroit, there was a depth of high school talent on display not seen before at the event.
On the women’s side High Point entered sweep crews in the Division I & II novice eights and also the Division I & II varsity eights. On the men’s side, High Point entered crews in the Division I novice eights and fours events.
WOMEN’S RACING
High Points crew of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Quinn Eury, Atlanta Maggie, Hayden Davis, Anna Kareis, Paige Steele, Hadley Copeland, Kaylie Mills and bow Margaux Blanchard win silver at the Dogwood Regatta.
High Point opened sweep racing in the Divion II women’s novice eights event and finished second in the Final. The crew, comprised of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Quinn Eury, Atlanta Maggie, Hayden Davis, Anna Kareis, Paige Steele, Hadley Copeland, Kaylie Mills, and bow Margaux Blanchard held a steady rhythm throughout the race to finish just behind Cincinnati.
Women’s Division II Novice Eights
1. Cincinnati 2. High Point
3. St. Andrew High School
4. St. Louis
5. Chicago
6. McCallie High School
In the Division I Women’s Novice Eights Final, High Point was represented by coxswain Katharine Komsa, stroke Bethany Brake, Maddie Mullins, Victoria Goldin, Aliute Udoka, Abbey Lowdermilk, Addy Millsap, Jr Ognovich, and bow Kim Pollard. The crew featured significant lineup changes from the Clemson Sprints Regatta and finished with the 8th fastest time out of 17 crews entered. Most significantly in Oak Ridge, the crew narrowed the gap on Asheville by 10 seconds since their earlier race in Clemson.
High Point Novice Eight (left to right) Kim Pollard, Bethany Brake, Victoria Goldin, Maddie Mullins, Katharine Komsa, Aliute Udoka, Junior Ognovich, Addy Millsap and Abbey Lowdermilk. The crew will next race at the USRowing Southeast Junior Regional Championships in Sarasota, FL on May 10-11.High Point’s Division II Varsity Eight was comprised of almost all novice rowers. From left to right – Kiki Davis, Quin Eury, Addy Millsap, Olivia Mangus, Anna Kareis, Abbey Lowdermilk, Hayden Davis, Junior Ognovich and Margaux Blanchard.
With High Point Rowing still little more than 18 months old, the women’s varsity eight continues to improve in just its first spring season of varsity competition. The crew finished fourth in its heat behind St. Louis, Rocket City, and Detroit and posted the 8th fastest time out of 15 teams in the preliminary round.
High Point co-captain Sarah Catto said her crew had a strong race and should be proud of its accomplishments. “This is a big time regatta and to be in the middle of the pack in just our first season of competition is gratifying.”
For Catto, a senior at Westchester Country Day School, the moment was bittersweet as this was her last scholastic race with High Point.
High Point has joined the ranks of some of the best varsity crews in the Southeast. The 2014 crew is comprised of coxswain Bethany Brake, stroke Kim Pollard, Maddie Mullins, Catherine Thompson, Katie Ognovich, Sarah Catto, Aliute Udoka, Emma Lloyd and bow Katharine Komsa.
MEN’S RACING
On the boys side High Point Rowing foursome of bow Nick Heflin, Crosby Howard, Colin Howard, Lewis Crotts and coxswain Emma Lloyd experienced some misadventure when they hit an unexpected boat wake during their race. One of the rowers came off the seat during the turbulent moment and the crew finished in 6th place.
High Point Rowing foursome of bow Nick Heflin, Crosby Howard, Colin Howard, Lewis Crotts and coxswain Emma Lloyd prepare for boat racing action in Oak Ridge Tennessee.
Things quickly picked up however for the boys squad with the novice eight crew putting on an exhibition display of rowing in their Final. “Our goal was to beat Asheville after we lost to them at the Clemson Sprints two weeks ago,” said Andrew Wright, who is captain of the boys squad.
High Point finished in an outstanding third place behind Cincinnati and Atlanta. “We beat Asheville’s time by 10 seconds and were only 9 seconds behind Atlanta after finishing 23 seconds back from them in Clemson,” said Wright. “This was a successful weekend of racing for our squad.”
Added High Point head coach Gene Kininmonth: “Atlanta and Asheville are the premier scholastic sweep programs in our region and these are the teams we most want to emulate. Asheville coaches Jack Gartner and Martha Williams have paved the way for youth rowing in North Carolina since they founded their youth program little more than half a dozen years ago. So, anytime we have a boat that can compete with them I am certainly delighted.” High Point (center) powers down the Melton Lake course ahead of Detroit and Augusta in the men’s novice eights final. The crew was comprised of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Charles York, Austin Young, Adam Alt, Kyle Koval, Josh Dasnoit and bow Ryan Kurtiak.
High Point, NC – Greg and Caren York have made a generous gift to High Point Rowing Club, the team’s founder Gene Kininmonth has announced. Greg and Caren are parents of Charles York, a sophomore student on the men’s varsity crew.
“I am extremely grateful to the York Family for the trust they have placed in this very new rowing program by making this leadership gift,” said Kininmonth. “The city of High Point is extremely fortunate to have Greg and Caren York and their family as residents.”
Thanks to the York family’s philanthropic leadership, High Point Rowing Club received over $20,000 in gifts from parents of the youth team in April. The funds will be used to add a much needed shell to the fleet.
Leadership Gift
Greg and Caren York – Charles’ parents
$5,000 & greater
Mike and Siobhan Mills – Cara’s parents
$1,000 & greater
Silvanus and Lisa Udoka – Aliute’s parents
Barbara and Russell Pollard – Kim’s parents
Mary Horan – Katie and Jackie’s mum.
Charles and Susie Alt – Adam’s folks
$500 & greater
Robert and Tammy Simmons – Abbey’s parents
Sara Copeland – Hadley’s Mum
Pete and Dana Koval – Kyle’s parents
Derek and Patricia Goldin – Victoria’s parents
$250 & greater
Christine and Mark Wright – Andrew’s parents
Allison Blanchard – Margaux’s Mum
James and Marianne Bennett – James’ parents
Joyce and Steve Eury – Quinn’s parents
$100 & greater
Brett and Sonya Millsap – Addy’s parents
Marlienne Goldin
Jonathon and Alisa Brake – Bethany’s parents
Robert and Cindy Komsa – Katharine’s parents
David Thompson and Janis Antonek – Catherine’s parents
Gary and Galye Coxford
THANK YOU HPRC PARENTS!
To honor Greg and Caren York’s generosity to the Crew, Coach Kininmonth commissioned “The York Cup” to be presented annually to the crew achieving the fastest Bridge to Bridge time over the course of a season on Oak Hollow Lake.
Westchester Country Day School sophomore Charles York raises his shell in triumph after earning victory for High Point at the 2014 Carolina Chase.
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.
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’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. 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.
High Point, making its debut in the high school women’s Division 1 varsity ranks, shocked Triangle Rowing Club of Raleigh to win the prestigious women’s varsity eights title at the 2014 High Point Regatta on Saturday.
The crew of coxswain Cara Mills, stroke Catherine Thompson, Katie Ognovich, Olivia Mangus, Sarah Catto, Aisinn Antrim, Morgan Sheehan, Emma Lloyd, and bow Bethany Brake led from the outset on the Oak Hollow Lake rowing course to clock a new record time of 5 minutes 1 second for the 1,500m race.
High Point demonstrated its strength in the sport by picking up five of the seven titles in the sudden death duel boat series with Triangle. High Point also won the women’s first and second division novice eights, and the men’s novice eights and fours events.
Entering the regatta as the underdog, High Point quickly saw the momentum shift to its favor once racing started in the Women’s Varsity Eights event and the hometown crew powered to more than a boat length lead over its Raleigh rival. What started out as a Cinderella story soon became a dominant triumph in the closing stages as High Point pushed out to a comfortable win.
“This was High Point’s first attempt in the Division I ranks and to earn a victory against this Raleigh program was a big time win for our program,” said High Point head coach Gene Kininmonth. “The crew found great rhythm out on the water today and truly stepped up.”
Regatta Secretary Mary Horan said the team is very grateful to Triangle for coming to High Point to race this weekend. “We are also very thankful to all of the volunteer supporters including parents and coaches, who brought such enthusiasm to making this event such a special one for all the rowers from both teams.”
Next week the High Point Crew heads to South Carolina for the Clemson Sprints, a regional regatta featuring top high school and collegiate crews from five different states.
High Point opened the 2014 spring season by winning the women’s varsity eight event at the 2014 High Point Regatta. The varsity crew was comprised of coxswain Cara Mills, stroke Catherine Thompson, Katie Ognovich, Olivia Mangus, Sarah Catto, Aislinn Antrim, Morgan Sheehan, Ema Lloyd and bow Bethany Brake.High Point’s novice crew of coxswain Kiana Davis, stroke Bethany Brake, Maddie Mullins, Abbey Lowdermilk, Anna Kareis, Cheyenne DeLaney, Kim Pollard, Hayden Davis, and bow Katherine Komsa led from wire to wire at the 2014 High Point Regatta.Gorgeous silver punch cups were presented to the rowers of each winning crew.High Point oarsmen Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Josh Dasnoit, Adam Alt, and coxswain Will Wright won the Novice Fours event at the 2014 High Point Regatta and then teamed up with James Bennett, Henderson Beck, Austin Young, and Ryan Kurtiak to win the Novice Eights title.Triangle just nips High Point at the finish post in the Middle School/3rd Novice Crew Exhibition event. High Point was represented by coxswain Kaylie Mills, stroke Lewis Crotts, Gabby Reenstra, Crosby Howard, Kyle Koval, Allie Augustin, Nick Heflin, Paige Shields and bow Lindsay York.High Point’s crew of coxswain Aine Mills, stroke Alice Nafekh, Addy Millsap, Victoria Goldin, Rebecka Lassiter, Junior Ognovich, Hadley Copeland, Kate Wenger, and Margaux Blanchard won the Second Division Novice Eights title in a photo finish with Triangle Rowing Club.
Proudly sponsored by Atlas Lighting. Mary Horan serves as Regatta Secretary for the 2014 High Point Regatta.The Regatta Secretary is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2014 High Point Regatta. This year’s regatta will see High Point face off in a series of boat races against Triangle Rowing Club, the premier youth rowing program from Raleigh.
Races will be conducted in the sudden death, duel format.
Winning crews will be presented with stunning silver punch cups, some of which are over 100 years old, acquired from family estate collections across The South. The cups hang from navy blue and white neck ribbons in the colors of High Point Rowing Club and will no doubt serve as a source of cherished memories of the first High Point Regatta to those who win them.
2014 Regatta Schedule Saturday, March 29th.
8:45am: Coaches & Coxswains Meeting
9:30am: Women’s Varsity Eights High Point Crew: coxswain Cara Mills, stroke Catherine Thompson, Katie Ognovich, Olivia Mangus, Sarah Catto, Aislinn Antrim, Morgan Sheehan, Emma Lloyd, and bow Bethany Brake.
9:45am: Men’s Novice Fours High Point Crew: coxswain Will Wright, stroke Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Josh Dasnoit, and bow Adam Alt.
10:00am: Mixed 3rd Novice/Middle School Eights Line-up TBD but will include Lewis Crotts, Nick Heflin, Kaylie Mills, Kate Wenger, Gabby Reenstra, Olivia Corriere.
10:15am: Women’s First Novice Eights High Point Crew: coxswain Kiana Davis, stroke Bethany Brake, Maddie Mullins, Cheyenne Delaney, Anna Kareis, Abbey Lowdermilk, Kim Pollard, Hayden Davis, and bow Katharine Komsa.
10:30am: Women’s Second Novice Eights High Point Crew: coxswain Aine Mills, stroke Alice Nafekh, Addy Millsap, Victoria Goldin, Rebecca Lassiter, Junior Ognovich, Hadley Copeland, Allie Augustin, and bow Margaux Blanchard.
10:45am: Men’s Novice Eights High Point Crew: coxswain Will Wright, stroke Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Adam Alt, Austin Young, Josh Dasnoit, Henderson Beck, Janes Bennett, and bow Ryan Kurtiak.
11:00am: Women’s Varsity Four High Point Crew: coxswain Cara Mills, stroke Catherine Thompson, Katie Ognovich, Emma Lloyd, and bow Morgan Sheehan.
Immediately following the last race all rowers and their families from both teams are invited to join in a Potluck brunch and Awards Ceremony.
Stunning silver punch cups hanging from a navy blue and white neck ribbons will be presented to each winning rower at the 2014 High Point Regatta.
High Point Rowing Club will host a new entry level rowing program designed specifically for middle school students at Oak Hollow Lake.
The clinic will take place from late March through to Memorial Day weekend. The introductory Learn to Row class will take place on March 22 at 1pm.
Sessions will take place on Tuesday and Thursday 4:30pm to 6:15pm and on Saturday morning at 9am. See the directions link for location.
Students should wear normal athletic attire suitable for the weather and flip flops rather than running shoes as participants will walk the boat into the water.
Students in Year 7 or 8 attending any Triad area high school are eligible to join the program. Students must be confident swimmers as a safety precaution. Space is extremely limited and places will be accepted and guaranteed only upon full payment and completion of the signed waiver and swim form. The fee for this clinic is $325. See the Register link for details.
For questions, email contact@highpointrowing.com or call program director Gene Kininmonth at (336) 257-9009.
Racing in Chattanooga: High Point’s youth novice eight crew was comprised of Kess Hendrix, Olivia Mangus, Megan Critchley, Jessica Critchley, Aine Mills, Aislinn Antrim, Zoe Kelley, Cara Mills, and coxswain Miles Hendrix.
High Point Rowing Club celebrated its second birthday this weekend with Class Races, which also included the club’s Masters rowers, followed by a potluck brunch for rowers, families and friends at Oak Hollow Lake.
