High Point Rowing Club celebrated its third birthday this past weekend with an Anniversary Row & Class Races, which included all of the club’s available rowers, followed by a potluck brunch for rowers, families and friends at Oak Hollow Lake.
Nine eight-man crews as well as a double scull and quad scull 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 the decade of their birth.
The race was a procession for the high school Senior Crew led by Olivia Corriere, which led from start to finish.
The Seniors, led by stroke Olivia Corriere, won the Class Race from Skeet Club Bridge to Johnson Street Bridge at High Point Rowing Club’s 3rd Anniversary Row.
With almost 100 rowers participating in the 3rd Anniversary Row it was no longer safe to take the traditional team photo on the dock so it was taken by the boats instead.
“We have much to celebrate this morning on this three year anniversary,” said Gene Kininmonth, who founded the club in 2012. “This is such a wonderful club and I feel really proud to be part of it.”
Next up for the club is the season opening race at the Tail of the Tiger Regatta in Clemson, SC on September 26.
The following week the club will host the High Point Autumn Rowing Festival at Oak Hollow Lake on October 3rd. Regatta Chair Mary Hollingsworth is expecting over 140 boats to enter from colleges and clubs across the southeast region.
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.
Westchester Country Day School sophomore Charles York raises his shell in triumph after earning victory for High Point at the 2014 Carolina Chase.
Try out youth rowing this week for just $10 for 3 sessions!
If you are in grades 7-12, this is your chance to give rowing a try. It is easy!
No experience necessary.
Sneak Peek Week is this week from Monday, August 31 through Friday September 4. Start any of these days and row for 3 days. Our team is located at Oak Hollow Lake in High Point – for GPS directions use 3700 Waterview Road, High Point, NC. When you enter the park, our boats are located to the right end of the parking lot. We meet Monday through Friday at 4:15pm at the lake.
This Sneak Peek Week opportunity is for students who have never tried rowing before. It is the perfect way to try a new sport to see if it is for you.
Note, this is the last chance for new students to join High Point Rowing Club this Fall.
A parent must accompany each student to their first row and bring the signed waiver and swim form certifying that their child can swim. These forms can be downloaded on the Registration page. Bring $10 cash or check payable to “High Point rowing Club.”
Also bring the following:
• flip flops (we walk the boats into the water)
• water bottle
• dress in close-fitting shorts/t-shirt (Loose clothes get caught in the sliding seat of the boat).
Questions? Just email our coach, Gene, at contact@highpointrowing.com or call him at (336) 257-9009.
High Point men’s junior crew of Colin Howard, Andrew Wright, Adam Alt, Charles York, Austin Young, Josh Dasnoit, Henderson Beck, and James Bennett on their way to the team’s historic first victory in Clemson. The crew was steered by Katharine Komsa.
Please note that tonight’s Parent Meeting has been rescheduled to Saturday morning at 8am at Oak Hollow Lake. We will serve coffee at 7:30am to give parents an opportunity to mingle informally before proceedings begin.
Oxford University, rowing in their Cricket Jumpers, warm up before the start of the 1955 Boat Race against Cambridge.
It is a cream, cable-stitch knit sweater with v-neck that is made of heavy cotton or wool. It features one or more colored bands along the v-neckline and optionally bands on the hems and cuffs.
It is the iconic Cricket Jumper. And this Autumn the Club will introduce it to members as a classic clothing piece to be worn ‘off the water.’
The traditional Cricket Jumper has been a clothing staple among rowing clubs of England for over a century and set a global trend when it was adopted by film stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood such as Cary Grant, Errol Flynn, Laurence Olivier, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and C Aubrey Smith, who were members of the famous ‘Hollywood Cricket Club’.
Every year just before The Wimbledon Championships, Ralph Lauren introduces a new version of this all time classic.
Rowing is the oldest of organized sports in the world and High Point Rowing Club founder Gene Kininmonth says the inclusion of the iconic ‘Cricket Jumper’ into the rowers’ wardrobe is High Point’s way of connecting today’s rowers with the early English traditions of the sport. “The cricket jumper is perhaps second only to the crew blazer in fashion significance for today’s oarsmen and women,” says Gene. “As our club transforms into one of the leading rowing institutions in the South, it is important that we embrace the many wonderful traditions this sport holds.”
The official cricket jumper of High Point Rowing Club.
North Carolina’s colder months are perfect for wearing the cricket jumper adds Gene. “This will give our rowers a distinctive look. Each rower will receive their Cricket Jumper when they register for the Fall. We have sample garments available for rowers to try on to make size determinations and we will direct rowers to these shortly.”
The jumpers will be provided to both Masters and youth rowers at no additional charge to regular Fall dues.
Don’t miss out on this last chance to learn to row this Summer!
High Point Rowing Club is pleased to present this rowing clinic, which presents an excellent opportunity for high school and middle school students to prepare themselves for joining the Fall Racing Team. To maximize individual attention, enrollment is limited so early application is encouraged.
This ‘intro to rowing’ clinic is conducted on the waters of beautiful Oak Hollow Lake. Boys and girls will be thoroughly schooled in all aspects of rowing – technically, mentally, and physically.
No prior rowing experience is expected. Students must be entering Year 7 – 12 this Fall and must be able to swim with confidence for safety reasons. A parent must be present at drop off on the first day.
WHEN?
The Last Chance Rowing Clinic will take place 7am – 9am beginning Monday August 3 and concluding Friday August 7. Fee is $85.
WHAT TO WEAR?
A t-shirt and shorts and flip-flops, not shoes (we walk the boats into the water). Bring a pair of socks to put on once you are in the boat. A hat and sunscreen is recommended too.
Got Questions?
Email Coach Gene at contact@highpointrowing.com
High Point Rowing Club will celebrate its third birthday on Saturday, September 12 with a Bridge to Bridge Time Trial for club members at Oak Hollow Lake. Students will be boated by their class year. A potluck brunch for rowers, families and friends will follow the boat races.
The club will have much to celebrate after three years, with record number of rowers joining the Masters program for adults and the scholastic program for students from public and private schools across the Triad.
Last year 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 and club founder Gene Kininmonth predicts there could be 9 crews this year.
In a hard fought battle that played out from start to finish, last year’s race was won by the High School Junior Crew, led by Victoria Goldin, who 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.High Point Rowing Club director Gene Kininmonth observes the launching of the crews at the team’s 2nd Anniversary Row.
All rowers participating in the Crew’s 3rd Anniversary Boat Races should arrive at Oak Hollow Lake by 8am and be dressed appropriately for the weather on the day. A Signup Genius email will be sent to all members and parents with details of the potluck.
Boys and girls attending any Triad area school (Grade 7 -12) are eligible to join the team. No experience necessary. Adults will have the opportunity to join a learn to row class in August. Email contact@highpointrowing.com or see the Registration page for details.
High Point Rowing Club is pleased to present the 1st annual Summer Rowing Clinic for Girls. To maximize individual attention, enrollment is limited so early application is encouraged.
This ‘intro to rowing’ clinic is conducted on the waters of beautiful Oak Hollow Lake. Girls will be thoroughly schooled in all aspects of rowing – technically, mentally, and physically.
No prior rowing experience is expected. Girls must be entering Year 7 – 12 this Fall and must be able to swim with confidence for safety reasons. A parent must be present at drop off on the first day.
WHEN?
The Rowing Clinic for Girls will take place 7am – 9am beginning Monday July 27 and concluding Friday July 31. Fee is $85.
WHAT TO WEAR?
A t-shirt and shorts and flip-flops, not shoes (we walk the boats into the water). Bring a pair of socks to put on once you are in the boat. A hat and sunscreen is recommended too.
Got Questions?
Email Coach Gene at contact@highpointrowing.com
Want to know more about High Point Rowing Club’s youth program? Watch this Fox8 News report.
High Point, NC – Growth in race entries is expected to explode in October for the 2nd annual High Point Autumn Rowing Festival. Oak Hollow Lake will again be the venue for the rowing regatta, which is scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd, the regatta’s Board of Directors has announced.
The 2015 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 Carolinas to compete at the 2015 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival,” says Regatta Chair Mary Hollingsworth. “”The regatta is growing and we expect out of state boat entries to propel the number of total entries from 88 last year to over 140 at this year’s rowing festival.”
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 ‘Round the Duck’ and then 500m later there is a 90 degree turn port going into the final straight past the spectator viewing area.
“The City of High Point is very supportive of emerging sports and recreational activities and are a big reason we are seeing this event grow so successfully,” says Hollingsworth.
Racing will commence at 10:00am.
Over 80 boats raced “Round the Duck” at the 2014 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival.
PARTICIPANT INFORMATION
Clubs from within North Carolina and surrounding states wishing to participate can register crews online at RegattaCentral.
Directions
The 2015 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 2015 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 2015 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.
High Point Rowing Club is pleased to present the 1st annual Summer Rowing Clinic for Boys. To maximize individual attention, enrollment is limited so early application is encouraged.
This ‘intro to rowing’ clinic is conducted on the waters of beautiful Oak Hollow Lake. Boys will be thoroughly schooled in all aspects of rowing – technically, mentally, and physically.
No prior rowing experience is expected. Boys must be entering Year 7 – 12 this Fall and must be able to swim with confidence for safety reasons. A parent must be present at drop off on the first day.
WHEN?
The Rowing Clinic for Boys will take place 7am – 9am beginning Monday July 13 and concluding Friday July 17. Fee is $85.
Jamestown, NC – Due to popular demand the Club is now offering Sunday evening erging at our 124C Indoor Rowing Studio in Jamestown. Increase your strength and cardio vascular base with this exciting, fast paced 90 minute session run by Coach Allie Davis.
Fee is $80 for 8 sessions and is open to the public.
This summer erg clinic on rowing machines begins Sunday, June 28 and continues through to August 16. The class begins at 6:30pm and finishes at 8:00pm. The Jamestown Indoor Rowing Studio is located at:
124C Wade Street, Jamestown, NC 27282.
This session requires 13 participants to ‘make’ and a maximum of 15 registrants will be accepted. Participants should register immediately to avoid disappointment.
Trenton, NJ – High Point rower Jacqueline ‘Junior’ Ognovich has been selected to participate in this summer’s US Junior National Team Sweep Development Camp, the sport’s national governing body USRowing has announced.
Ognovich’s selection to the prestigious national camp squad follows on from her participation in an historic season with High Point’s women’s varsity crew. She rowed in the 6-seat of the crew that won gold at the High Point Regatta, Clemson Sprints and finished a club best 4th place at the USRowing Southeast Junior Regional Championships.
“”I’m so excited for Junior,” said High Point varsity coach Allie Davis. “This is going to be an incredible experience for her. To be united with the best young high school rowers from across the nation that all want to go faster just like she does is going to elevate her to the next level. This is a testament to her dedication to the sport and I’m proud to have that kind of work ethic represented on our squad.”
In all, 49 rowers from across the nation were selected for the 2015 USJNT Sweep Development Camp and Ognovich is the only rower listed from North Carolina.
Congratulations Junior!
Jacqueline ‘Junior’ Ognovich helps power her women’s varsity crew from the six-seat (third fromCoach Allie Davis with her crew of Bethany Brake, Victoria Goldin, Aliute UDoka, Junior Ognovich, Maddie Mullins, Addy Millsap, Emma Lloyd, Jaclyn Hronich, and Kim Pollard concluded a historic season for High Point Rowing Club with a fourth place finish in the Girls Youth Eight at USRowing’s Southeast Regional Championships.
High Point Rowing Club has created the most successful Masters program in the state in just 12 months.
The registration period for High Point Rowing Club’s “2015 Masters Summer Rowing Program” for adults is almost complete. 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.
Crew director Gene Kininmonth says he expects the Tuesday-Thursday evening sessions to be maxed out by early next week. “There is still availability in our Tuesday & Thursday morning sessions and lots on the recently opened Monday-Wednesday evening sessions but the Tuesday-Thursday evening rowing is almost at capacity,” said Kininmonth, who expects participant numbers to pass one hundred this summer. “This is a really cost effective way that adults in the Triad can learn to row and get in great shape in a team environment this summer.”
“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.
Format: For the 2015 summer season, participants will initially be in two groups – those with rowing experience and those with no prior experience. The beginners will start with a learn-to-row format. For safety reasons, participants must be confident swimmers. As technique and stamina improve, a more competitive format will be adopted.
Dates and Times: Participants can choose to row in any of the following times:
Morning Sessions: Tuesday & Thursday starting June 23, and ending August 13, 2015. Sessions are from 8:45am to 10:15am.
Evening Sessions (M&W): Monday and Wednesday evenings starting June 22 and ending August 12, 2015. Sessions are from 6:00pm – 7:30pm.
Evening Sessions (T&T):Tuesday & Thursday starting June 23 and ending August 13, 2015. Sessions are from 6:00pm – 7:30pm.
Unlimited Summer!: row any and all the above listed rowing sessions! (Note this does not include erging sessions)
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 13, there will be a final 500m sprint race just for fun – OK, and maybe some bragging rights too!
Cost: $200 per rower for 16 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
Westchester Country Day School sophomore Charles York raises his shell in triumph after earning victory for High Point at the 2014 Carolina Chase.
Try out youth rowing this week for just $10 for 3 sessions!
If you are in grades 7-12 (rising), this is your chance to give rowing a try. It is easy!
No experience necessary.
Sneak Peek Week is this week from Monday, June 8 through Friday June 12. Start any of these days this week and row for 3 days. Our team is located at Oak Hollow Lake in High Point – for GPS directions use 3700 Waterview Road, High Point, NC. When you enter the park, our boats are located to the right end of the parking lot. We meet Monday through Friday at 4:15pm at the lake.
This Sneak Peek Week opportunity is for students who have never tried rowing before. It is the perfect way to try a new sport to see if it is for you.
A parent must accompany each student to their first row and bring the signed waiver and swim form certifying that their child can swim. These forms can be downloaded on the Registration page.
Also bring the following:
• flip flops (we walk the boats into the water)
• water bottle
• dress in close-fitting shorts/t-shirt (Loose clothes get caught in the sliding seat of the boat).
Questions? Just email our coach, Gene, at contact@highpointrowing.com or call him at (336) 257-9009.
High Point men’s junior crew of Colin Howard, Andrew Wright, Adam Alt, Charles York, Austin Young, Josh Dasnoit, Henderson Beck, and James Bennett on their way to the team’s historic first victory in Clemson. The crew was steered by Katharine Komsa.
It is now tradition for High Point’s youth rowers to close out the ceremonies of the spring banquet with a team photo on the dock.
High Point, NC – High Point Rowing Club celebrated the 2015 spring racing season for its youth program tonight at Oak Hollow Lake with the ‘Last Row & Crew Banquet’ at which the team honored its high school senior rowers and recognized individual and team achievements.
Following a delicious pot luck feast, the evening’s celebrations were kicked off by Grimsley HS students, Quinn Eury and Aliute Udoka, and Kiana Davis, who sang an inspiring version of the National Anthem.
Mary Hollingsworth, 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 those who hosted the food tables at all crew regattas, the ‘Duck Committee’ of fathers, who ran the on water activities of the club’s regattas, and the group of mothers, who managed the timing systems and greatly assisted crews in launching and returning the boats to shore at home regattas.
Fine silver cups are a hallmark of the sport of rowing and the awards table at the High Point Rowing Club Spring Crew Banquet did not disappoint.
The evening then took on a humorous twist with the traditional rower awards based on fitting superlatives, following which coach Gene Kininmonth thanked Mary Hollingsworth and the coaches Maria Santoyo, Scott Jones, and Allie Davis for their service to the Crew. Gene then 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. Coach Gene and Coach Allie Davis 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 Andrew Wright,Bethany Brake,Kim Pollard, and Addy Millsap were honored and thanked for their service to the crew. Emotions ran high as the four seniors made stirring individual speeches, each reflecting on their own personal experiences of High Point Rowing Club.
High Point Rowing Club sent off its 2015 seniors Andrew Wright, Bethany Brake, Addy Millsap, and Kim Pollard with commemorative silver champagne buckets at the Spring Crew Banquet. High Point Senior rowers Kim Pollard and Addy Millsap present the senior gift to the team, a plaque commemorating each senior of the team since the club was formed. The High Point Alumni Banner was also a gift from the Senior Class of 2015. The Middle School squad enjoyed its most successful spring season ever in 2015.
By Gene Kininmonth
“It is the horses, not the chariot that win races,” is a saying probably every High Point rower has heard me say at least once since our Club was formed less than three years ago. This is an old line used often by rowing coaches when preparing their crew to race against a team with vastly superior equipment.
And while generally true, it never hurts to have better equipment. Thanks to a generous gift from Caren and Greg York, this spring we purchased the black Vespoli M2 eight for the boys team. This shell was also raced by the girls youth eight at SE Regionals, where they improved their previous best time by 17 seconds. Both our squads were grateful for the chance to race in this boat.
So, I am pleased to announce that we are now commencing our annual Fleet Fundraiser Campaign. The goal is to raise $25,000 by late June to purchase two fours that can also be rowed as quad sculls. Sculling oars would also be purchased as part of the fundraising campaign and we have identified a university that has these boats for sale.
Four-man shells that interchange as quad sculls have a unique value to the club at this point in our history. As identical fours, the boats are perfect for evaluating the rowers in our eights by breaking the eight into two crews of four to race each other in practice. Rowers could then be switched between the two boats one at a time between races to evaluate each rower on an individual basis against their peers. This is called seat racing.
Seat racing assists coaches to determine who the best boat movers are on the squad and who needs more work technically. It also establishes a fair system of selection that is less reliant on subjective judgment.
A benefit of the fours converting into quad sculls is the doors that open to more racing opportunities for the team. Sculling races are increasing in popularity among both the Junior and Masters ranks across the country. And with the rise of our history making youth squad, why not consider sending our best to the world’s most prestigious rowing event, the Henley Royal Regatta in England next summer. The junior events at Henley are raced in quad sculls.
The men’s Junior event at Henley Royal Regatta is the quad scull race for the Fawley Challenge Cup.
The junior women compete for the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup and the junior men race for the Fawley Challenge Cup. Over 200,000 rowing fans from across the globe flock to the Thames over 5 days to watch Henley. What a venue to showcase our rising talent!
The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup is raced by junior women in quad sculls at Henley Royal Regatta.
Did I mention that Masters race at Henley too? In England, Masters are called Veterans!
We have an exciting vision for the future of High Point Rowing Club and I hope you will consider supporting the team with a gift at this time. We are fortunate to have such a talented squad of rowers of all ages representing High Point with such passion and I am grateful to all who have supported the team to get it to this point. We still haven’t scratched the surface!
High Point Rowing Club is a 501(C)3 non-profit. Gifts are fully tax-deductible and should be made payable by check to “High Point Rowing Club” and mailed to 1107 Johnson Street, High Point, NC 27262.
Coach Allie Davis with her crew of Bethany Brake, Victoria Goldin, Aliute Udoka, Junior Ognovich, Maddie Mullins, Addy Millsap, Emma Lloyd, Jaclyn Hronich, and Kim Pollard concluded a historic season for High Point Rowing Club with a fourth place finish in the Womens Youth Eight at USRowing’s Southeast Regional Championships at the Lake Lanier Olympic Venue in Georgia.
Gainesville, GA – High Point Rowing Club’s womens youth eight crew celebrated Mother’s Day on Sunday with a historic fourth place finish at USRowing’s Southeast Regional Youth Championships held at the Lake Lanier Olympic course.
Eight teams contended for the prestigious Womens Youth Eights championship and the field was initially split into two heats of four crews. The first three crews in each heat on Saturday would proceed through to Sunday’s championship final.
Despite entering the regional event seeded 7th out of 8 entries, High Point was always regarded as a possible dark horse to upset the field, having earned an early season victory over the number four seed Asheville at the Clemson Sprints in April. And High Point did not disappoint, confounding the pundits by advancing to the final with a stunning burst of speed over the Olympic course to set a new club record time of 6 minutes 49 seconds.
High Point stroke Victoria Goldin set up a perfect rhythm while her coxswain, Bethany Brake, inspired the crew to keep going for more as the procession of boats raced down Lake Lanier, the site of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
Heat 2 Womens Youth Eights
1. Atlanta 6 minutes 39 seconds
2. OARS 6:40
3. High Point 6:49
4. Capital City 7:08
Varsity Coach Allie Davis said her crew enjoyed a solid preparation going into the regional championships. “The girls held their focus after racing at the Dogwood Regatta in Oak Ridge two weeks ago. We enjoyed a terrific two week campaign of training in the post season and every member of this boat was confident that the best was yet to come this weekend.”
In the final, High Point hung with the early leaders and quickly established the upper hand over their in-state rivals from Asheville.
Womens Youth Eight Final
1. Sarasota 6 minutes 52 seconds
2. OARS 6:55
3. Atlanta 6:59
4. High Point 7:09
5. Asheville 7:12
6. St. Andrews HS 7:20
After the historic finish, High Point rower Emma Lloyd said she could not have asked for a better weekend with a better team or a better Mom. “The things we accomplished this season went way beyond my expectations and I have never been so happy and proud to be a part of such a fantastic group of ladies.”
Earlier in the weekend, High Point’s crew of Margaux Blanchard, Andrew Wright, Adam Alt, Kyle Koval, and Austin Young raced in the Men’s Youth Fours event. This spring marked the first season of varsity racing for High Point’s boys squad and the team’s first trip to the Southeast Regional Championships. The Youth Four was selected from the varsity eight crew that had won at the High Point Regatta in March but struggled to remain competitive later in the season. Sixteen crews were entered in the Youth Four event and in the first round of heats High Point finished second to Nashville, with the first four of the six crews proceeding to the semi final round.
Mens Youth Four
Heat 3
1. Nashville 7 minutes 1 second
2. High Point 7:06
3. Boone High School 7:12
4. ROCCS 7:18
5. Riverside Military Academy 7:26
6. Charlotte 8:20
In the semifinals, three crews from each of two semi final races would proceed to Sunday’s final. High Point struggled to hang with the field in the middle stages of the 2,000 meter race but regained rhythm with 300 meters to go. Despite a late surge the crew just missed catching Boone High School for the third qualifying spot.
Mens Youth Four Semifinal 1
1. Miami Rowing 6 minutes 58 secs
2. Stanton River Bank Rowing 7:11
3. Boone High School 7:15
4. High Point 7:17
5. Evans RC 7:20
6. Atomic Rowing 7:32
Coach Gene Kininmonth said he was pleased with the efforts of the crew. “It is tough to be on the bubble and miss the final by a couple of seconds but this crew has made tremendous progress these past two weeks to find the boat speed they did. Racing this weekend has exposed the boys squad to a higher standard of rowing they will be aspiring to reach next year and I see a bright future ahead for the team”
High Point’s youth four of coxswain Margaux Blanchard, Andrew Wright, Kyle Koval, Adam Alt, Austin Young, and coach Gene Kininmonth at the USRowing Southeast Regional Championships. The crew qualified for the semi final round where they finished fourth.
Lake Lanier, GA – High Point Rowing Club will be represented by two crews at the USRowing Southeast Regional Youth Championships in Gainesville, GA this weekend.
Boat racing takes place on Lake Lanier, the venue for the 1996 Olympic Games.
First up for High Point will be Andrew Wright, Kyle Koval, Adam Alt, Austin Young and Margaux Blanchard racing in the Youth Fours event. The crew is a breakdown of the team’s varsity eight that won at the High Point Regatta.
Later in the day High Point will race in the Women’s Youth Eights event. The crew, comprised of coxswain Bethany Blake, Victoria Goldin, Maddie Mullins, Junior Ognovich, Aliute Udoka, Emma Lloyd, Addy Millsap, Kim Pollard, and Jaclyn Hronich has enjoyed historic results for the club throughout the regular season. The crew earned victories at the High Point Regatta and Clemson Sprints and a finals appearance two weeks ago at the Dogwood Regatta in Oak Ridge, TN.
Coach Allie Davis with her crew of Bethany Brake, Victoria Goldin, Maddie Mullins, Junior Ognovich, Aliute Udoka, Emma Lloyd, Addy Millsap, Kim Pollard, and Jaclyn Hronich.
Oak Hollow Lake – Two High Point Youth Crews faced off against each other at Skeet Club Bridge this evening to challenge for the York Cup. The crews raced from Skeet Club Bridge to Johnson Street Bridge to see which would set the time standard that might last a season.
Throughout each year, rowers from various segments of the High Point Rowing Club youth program form an eight-oar crew and race against the clock from Skeet Club Bridge to Johnson Street Bridge on Oak Hollow Lake. At the end of the spring season, the crew that has recorded the fastest time in the previous 12 months is recognized at the annual Spring Crew Banquet and earns the honor of drinking a Toast from The York Cup.
But there are strict rules as to the composition of each crew. All crews wishing to challenge for the fastest time must meet the following requirements:
1.) All members of the crew must be currently enrolled in high school or middle 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 four of the rowers must be in their novice year.
Tonight’s winning crew recorded a time of 15 minutes flat and was comprised of coxswain Molly McGill Carter, stroke Olivia Corriere, Rebecca Lassiter, Charles York, Adam Alt, Kevin Capps, Govind Harrish, Kaylie Mills, and bow Shelby Reece.
“The York Cup is named in honor of Caren and Greg York, parents of High Point rower Charles York, for their generous support of the youth rowing program,” said Crew Board Director Mary Hollingsworth at last year’s trophy presentation. “Caren and Greg’s philanthropic leadership has rallied so many people together to support the kids on this team that it is fitting to recognize them by naming this cup in their honor.”
Crew founder and coach Gene Kininmonth said he expects more crews to challenge for the York Cup before the spring season banquet next month.
Coxswain Molly McGill Carter, stroke Olivia Corriere, Rebecca Lassiter, Charles York, Adam Alt, Kevin Capps, Govind Harrish, Kaylie Mills, and bow seat Shelby Reece recorded the fastest York Cup time year to date of 15 minutes on April 16.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’s Varsity Crew celebrates a historic first victory in the varsity eights race at the 2015 Clemson Sprints.
Clemson, SC – High Point Rowing Club stunned perennial favorite Asheville with a barn burning sprint at the finish to win the Division I Junior Girls Eights title at the Clemson Sprints in South Carolina on Saturday.
It was an historic first victory for High Point over Asheville in the Division I ranks and fitting that it took place on Lake Hartwell in Clemson where the club enjoyed its first boat victory in the novice division two years ago this weekend. Coxswain Bethany Brake, who was at the helm of both historic wins, said her crew savored Saturday’s boat race victory. “Every girl in the boat was grunting and yelling and giving it everything. I felt like the girls were competing and I knew they really wanted it.”
The crew comprised of coxswain Bethany Brake, stroke Victoria Goldin, Maddie Mullins, Junior Ognovich, Aliute Udoka, Emma Lloyd, Addy Millsap, Kim Pollard, and Jaclyn Hronich started strong in the 2,000 meter boat race final but could not match Asheville’s early pace. Although down slightly off the start, High Point drew alongside Asheville in the middle stages.
Brake said it was the final sprint that set the two crews apart. “It was obvious who had the endurance and willpower to maintain till the end,” said Brake.
Varsity girls coach Allie Davis said the girls were challenged by a crew they had not previously raced this season. “But they stuck to their race plan and broke away in the sprint. I was so proud of the way the girls put everything they had into their race, even after racing earlier in the day in other events as well. It’s so obvious that this boat loves rowing together, I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of something like that. These girls deserved that win – they’ve worked so hard and really have committed to becoming something great this season.”
Girls Varsity Eights 1. High Point 7 minutes 18 seconds
2. Asheville 7:22
3. Triangle 7:45
4. Palmetto 8:30
5. Charlotte 8:56
The win crowns High Point as the top girls crew in the Carolinas for the first time as the team continues its quest toward qualifying for the National Championships in June.
Coach Allie Davis with her crew of Bethany Brake, Victoria Goldin, Maddie Mullins, Junior Ognovich, Aliute Udoka, Emma Lloyd, Addy Millsap, Kim Pollard, and Jaclyn Hronich.
In boys racing, High Point’s varsity lightweight four crew of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Andrew Wright, Kyle Koval, Crosby Howard and Austin Young posted the best result of the day with a close second place finish in the varsity lightweight fours final. The crew finished several boat lengths ahead of Asheville but were were pipped at the post by St Edwards high school from Ohio, which was on a spring break training camp for the week in Clemson.
Boys Lightweight Fours
1. St Edwards 7 minutes 37.2
2. High Point 7:37.9
3. Asheville 7:46
4. Charlotte 8:04
5. Lake Lanier 8:15
The visiting St Edwards High School also won gold in the boys Division I Eights final, well ahead of the field with Asheville, High Point and Triangle trailing in that order.
Next up for the High Point youth rowing squad is the Dogwood Regatta in Oak Ridge, TN in two weeks.
Cold winds did not deter High Point’s rowers at the 2015 High Point Regatta. The home town favorites won 11 of 21 boat races they entered. Photo credit Steve Eury.
High Point, NC – Strong winds, cold weather, and choppy water were among the standout memories of the 2015 High Point Regatta. But the race conditions paled in comparison to the races themselves as High Point Rowing Club’s youth and newly formed masters squad earned a swag of medals.
Winds became so strong late in the morning that race organizers were compelled to move the race course away from the dam to the protection of the treeline on the north east side of the lake to maintain safety for the rowers.
“It was a seamless transition,” said Regatta Chair Mary Hollingsworth. “Full marks to our on the water officials for being able to switch the race course in under 5 minutes.”
Other rowing boat races across the eastern seaboard were not so fortunate on Saturday with regattas cancelled due to high winds from Sarasota, FL to Occoquan, VA.
High Point won each of the first six boat races, including the blue ribbon girls and boys First Eights events, and went on to ultimately earn victories in 11 of 21 of the events raced on the day.
Opening the day’s racing was the Masters Maiden Eights event. This boat race was exclusively for rowers engaging in their first ever race and was battled between two High Point crews, most in the first few weeks of rowing. “It was nerve-racking,” said Allison Falls of Jamestown. “You didn’t know what to expect. But we did what we do in practice. We stayed focused and didn’t look around and get distracted. We just tried to do as well as we can.”
Key Race Results:
Girls First Eights
1,500m
1. High Point 5 minutes 36 seconds
2. Triangle 5:47.3
3. Charlotte 6:47
Girls Novice First Eights
1,500m (altered race course)
1. High Point 5 minutes 32 seconds
2. Triangle 5:55
3. Charlotte 6:12
Boys First Eights
1,500m
1. High Point 4 minutes 54 seconds
2. Charlotte 5:02
3. Triangle 5:15
Women’s Division I Masters Eights
1,000 m
1. High Point 3 minutes 51 seconds
2. Cape Fear River 3:56
High Point chief coach Gene Kininmonth said he was delighted with the team’s results across the board. “It was a special day for High Point Rowing Club,” said Kininmonth. “When you look at the performances of the masters crews and the girls squad you have to give a lot of credit to Coach Allie Davis for building these programs.”
“Organizing and running a regatta is hard work. The regatta is bigger this year and I give special thanks to Mary Hollingsworth for organizing all of our volunteers to make it look so easy – which it never is!” said Kininmonth.
Next up for High Point’s youth squad is the Clemson Sprints on April 11 in South Carolina.
