Vashon Rowers Shine at Northwest Championships
The Vashon Island Rowing Club (VIRC) Youth Team closed out their season with unforgettable performances at the 2024 Northwest Rowing Championships, where they faced a mix of rain, wind, sun, and clouds.
Despite the unpredictable weather, the team’s dedication and spirit shone through. VIRC's Youth Team competed fiercely, with 14 lineups making it to A finals, seven to B finals, and three to C finals. On the shore, teammates cheered with unwavering enthusiasm, creating a palpable sense of community and support that even drew in onlookers.
“I’m proud to see how far this team has come,” said Head Coach Ben Steele. “In 2018, our squad had dwindled to 14 athletes with only one girl. This year, we arrived with 45 strong, including a robust women’s squad and overall team depth.”
The weekend featured high-octane, neck-and-neck races, including a thrilling B final where the women’s Youth 2x race ended in a photo finish, resulting in a tie for first place between Vashon’s Selene Dalinis and Laurel Calhoun and their counterparts from Bainbridge Island Rowing Club.
By the end of the competition, eight VIRC boats had qualified for Youth Nationals. Five of these crews will head to Sarasota, Florida, on June 5 to represent Vashon and the Northwest Region at the USRowing Youth National Championship. These crews include athletes from the youngest to the oldest on the team: the U15 Men’s 4x+ (Arlo Harris, Alden Metler, Brendan Blower, Grayson Hamilton, coxswain Kai Graham), the U16 Women’s 4x+ (Rose Ely, Ren Colvos, Gwen Tomlinson, Emily Rock, coxswain Alekos Dalinis), the Men’s U17 4x (Henry Cooper, Tyler Davis, Quentin Cherry, Xander Nelson), the Women’s U17 4x (Yvie Hu, Rose Ely, Gwyn Ranney, Ella Odegard), and senior Liv Ormseth in the Women’s Youth 1x.
This marks the 13th consecutive year (excluding 2020) that VIRC has qualified boats for Youth Nationals.
“The highlight for me was watching everyone sprint to the beach to cheer for every single race,” Steele said. “That kind of support and camaraderie is what we hope these athletes take away from this sport and our team.”
Help Send Our Athletes to Nationals!
Support our young athletes as they head to the US Rowing Youth National Championship! Your contribution to our fundraiser will help cover essential costs like travel, lodging, meals, and entry fees. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a huge difference. If you can't donate, please share our fundraiser on social media to help spread the word. Let's come together to ensure these dedicated rowers can compete at their best!