STG:ROWING: Saratoga wins four gold medals in Canadian Scholastic National regatta, seven medals total
By STAN HUDY
shudy@saratogian.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Rowing Association and its high school rowers continued to prove that they are one of the best teams not only in the United States, but now, North America.
The Saratoga High School rowers claimed four gold medals at the 2011 Canadian Secondary Schools Championships in St. Catharine's Ontario Sunday afternoon.
The Saratoga girls senior eight of coxswain Mackenzie Hart, Lizzy Fitzhenry, Caroline Blackington, Alexis Georgia, Caroline Murphy, Chelsea Brown, Jill Perkins, Isabel Price and Kerri Wegner rowed to a gold medal with a time of 6:51.57.
The Saratoga girls senior women 63kg of coxswain Isabel Germano, Caroline Murphy, Emily LaFalce, Mikala McQueeney, Jill Perkins, Isabel Price, Kelly Olsen, Caroline Krison and Kerri Wegner also won gold, covering the 2,000-meter Canadian Henley course in 7:01.46 seconds.
The Saratoga junior women eight of coxswain Mackenzie Hart, Shannon Merboth, Marie Woldring, Kelli Wegner, Ali Samach, Caty Hogan, Kate Conway, Sophie Coco and Laura Morrissey won gold in 7:07.93.
The Saratoga senior women pair of Caroline Blackington and Lizzy Fitzhenry rowed to a gold medal finish in 8:03.03.
The singles scullers, rowing out of the Saratoga Boathouse, continued to shine north of the border as Ballston Spa senior Ryan Allen earned a silver medal with a time of 7:21.16. Shenendehowa senior Rachel Boudreau earned silver in the women’s 63kg single in 8:36.97.
“I think the girls double really dominated the competition,” SRA Executive Director Eric Catalano said. “The real heartbreaker was Ryan Allen in the single.
“He was one second behind Upper Canada, against a junior national rower. I was pleased with his speed and hope we can get a little faster. He’s showing a good amount of speed right now.”
The Saratoga girls junior 59 kg eight entry of coxswain Anna Milton, Meghan Hampton, Kate Kolbe, Gabrielle Hedges, Leah Hite, MacKenzie Battle, Porter Rivet, Cat MacCormack and Hadley Richards rowed to a bronze medal with a time of 7:18.53.
