5/14/2006

On Saturday, May 13^th, 24 members of the Tulsa Rowing Club Juniors (TRCJ) team headed to the Central District Youth Rowing Championships. This qualifier for the USRowing Junior Nationals was held at the new Chesapeake Boathouse in downtown Oklahoma City. Junior rowers from 9 states were invited to participate, and competitors from 15 regional schools and clubs attended.

The championship competition began at 8:00 AM and continued throughout the day until 4:30 PM. The 32 events were run over a 2000 meter course on the Oklahoma River, and included Novice and Varsity categories. The first and second place finishers in each varsity final were qualified to participate in the National Championships in Cincinnati, Ohio.

For the first time, TRCJ had two boats that did well enough to earn invitations to the Nationals, which will be held on June 10^th. The events, qualifying crews, and schools they represent, are as follow:

Boys Varsity Single- The gold medal was won by Shaun Black (Bishop Kelley).

Boys Varsity Eight- The following crew won the silver medal:

                                    Chris Light, coxswain (Booker T. Washington)

                                    Shaun Black (Bishop Kelley)

                                    Nick Berry (Cascia Hall)

                                    James Daniels (Bishop Kelley)

                                    Hunter Wagner (Holland Hall)

                                    Evan Gates (Holland Hall)

                                    Sam Berntson (Edison)

                                    Reece Hoover (Owasso)

                                    Logan Mercer (Bishop Kelley)

All Tulsa boats entered in the weekend competition qualified for their respective finals. Complete results follow:

Girls Novice Four- Gold medal

                                    Anne Campbell, Gentry Klawitter, Taylor Jones,

                                    Catharine Brierre, and Peter Gehres (cox)

Girls Novice Eight- Silver medal

                                    Gentry Klawitter, Tamara Clayton, Elena Fisher,

                                    Anne Campbell, Keli Fitzpatrick, Anna Royce,

                                    Paige Fedon,Gretchen Young,

                                    and Peter Gehres (cox)

Boys Youth (16yrs) Single-Silver medal

                                    Geoffrey Gill

Girls Novice Four- Bronze medal

                                    Elena Fisher, Tamara Clayton, Keli Fitzpatrick,

                                    Gretchen Young, Chris Light (cox)

Boys Varsity Quad- Bronze medal

                                    Shaun Black, Nick Berry, Sam Berntson, and

                                    Hunter Wagner