Norwalk-Based Crews Win Six Golds at Regional Meet

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. – In a supposed rebuilding year, the Norwalk-based Connecticut Boat Club proved again that it is one of the best all-girls rowing clubs in the country.

The team came home from Sunday’s Northeast Regional championships in Worcester, Mass., with six gold medals and a silver while qualifying two crews for next month’s U.S. Youth Nationals. The meet included 337 entries from 34 clubs and six states. 

The team’s signature victory came with its Women’s Youth 8+, which won gold in 6:57.431. Community Rowing of Massachusetts took second in 6:57.644, followed by Bromfield Action Boxborough Rowing, also of Massachusetts.

CBC’s crew consisted of Ali Hornung, Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Abby Stevenson, Katherine Squitieri, Tori Babchak, Isabel Fitter, Meg Galloway, India Knight and Sarah Schwartz.

The team also won the Women’s Youth 4+ with Hornung, Fitzpatrick, Babchak, Squitieri and Galloway. In the final, CBC won by more than six seconds. Both teams will advance to the national competition June 8-10 in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Coach Liz Trond said the crews tried to conserve energy in the heats, since the girls had to compete in multiple races. "It definitely was part of the plan,'' Trond said. "We just tried to move through the qualification."

Four other crews won gold. The Junior Varsity 8+ included Kassie Boliakis, Kendra Shutts, Kylie Maier, Bea Nash, Natalie Puente, Sarah Mudd, Shelby Penfield, Jessica Ferrante and Holly Geffs.

The Novice 8A included Courtney Lincoln, Kate Tyrrell, Casey Clifford, Paige Voigt, Kate Hickey, Payton Garrity, Haley Bower, Natalie Yannopolous and Catherine Wilcock. The Novice 8B struck gold with Kyra Brook, Maggie Murphy, Janie Roach, Kat Norton, Erin Meskers, Kelly Caione, Megan Kynast, Natalie Davis-Porada and Kate Renaud.

"When the Junior Varsity team came down and won, that set the tone for the day,'' Trond said. "That gave every one a lot of momentum."

The final gold-medal winning crew was the Novice 4+ A with Boliakis, Kate Tyrrell, Kate Hickey, Paige Voight and Casey Clifford.

The Junior Varsity 4+ added silver with the team of Maggie Roberts, Lizzie Steinborn, Holly Geffs and Emily Olsen.

The meet was the final event of the season for the Novice and Junior Varsity teams. 

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