Marin Rowing Association

Marin Juniors Win Gold at Jr. World Championships

BRIVE-LA-GAILLARDE, France - Chelsea Lucas of Greenbrae and Kristy Wentzel of San Anselmo propelled the U.S. junior girls eight-plus boat to a gold medal at the 2009 World Rowing Junior Championships on Saturday.The U.S. team took the lead midway through the 2,000-meter race and pulled away to a 4.30 second victory over second-place New Zealand. The Americans, the defending world champions, trailed New Zealand through the first 500 meters of the race."We were really expecting to be down a lot more at the first 500, so when we were only down a few seats, we really felt like it was in our reach," said Lucas, who won gold with the team for the second year in a row. "At that point, we knew it was doable. � We felt like this year was our time to really focus on our speed. We just felt really confident on how we went out and executed our race."The U.S. squad finished with a time of 6 minutes, 26.89 seconds, with New Zealand next in 6:31.19. Germany won the bronze medal with a time of 6:34.97.View full results...

Marin Alum Mara Allen Wins Gold at World Championships

Mara Allen, Marin '04, Cal '08, just became the clubs most successful junior woman by making the National Team and winning a gold medal in at the 2009 World Championships in Poznan, Poland. Mara had a successful career with Marin, winning the silver medal at the '04 Jr. National Championship and with Cal, winning the NCAA Championships in the V8+ in both '05 and '06, her freshman and sophomore years. Mara tried out for and made the National Team in her first year out of college and when on to make the top 8+ to race at the World Championships. Needless to say, we are all very proud to have Mara as a part of the great history of Marin athletes. Congratulations.View full results...Mara Allen, 3rd from the right, singing the National Anthem after taking the Gold. Behind Mara stands fellow Cal rower and friend of the MRA Erin Cafaro. Erin also won a Gold in the W2- at this regatta and won the 2008 Olympic Gold in the W8+.

MRA Singles Ladder, Sunday August 23, 2009, 11:30am!

Come join us on Sunday, August 23rd for the third Marin rowing singles ladder of the summer. The ladder is a 2500m member's only race conducted entirely in singles! The last ladder had a small turn out due to some miscommunication, but we all had fun anyhow. We'd love to see some more faces down there, so get out in your singles and start practicing, then, come down on Sunday afternoon, August 23rd and give the ladder a shot, even if you don't scull very much!When: Sunday, August 23, 2009Mandatory Race Meeting: 11:00amFirst flight start time: 11:30am (high tide at 3:30pm)Second flight: approx. 12:00pmMore flights: if needed.

Row the new Octuple!

Alan Mooers and I are trying to organize some rows in the Roger Barbey newly rigged as an Octuple. If you are interested, and have some sculling skills, there is a sign-up sheet on the sign-out table. There will also be sign ups for those interested in coxing. Initially we are trying to go out Saturdays at 8:45AM and Sundays at 8AM. We went out Saturday 8/1 with Lydia as cox and had a great row. -Gary Runes (GaryRunes@sbcglobal.net)

MRA Ladder results July 19, 2009

The latest in the MRA Singles ladder series was a lot of fun, with much better conditions that the June ladder. We had a small group this time, probably because of the last minute rescheduling, but we had a lot of fun and a lot of people came up with new PR's. Thanks to everyone for coming down!The results from the most recent MRA singles ladder can be found in the file below and are also posted on the MRA Ladder board in the boat house:MRA Singles Ladder results July 19, 2009

MRA Wins Points Trophy at SW Regionals

The Master Men, Women, B's, Intermediates, Novices and Scullers finished off the spring racing season in style this weekend at Lake Merritt, host of the Southwest Regional Masters Championships. In addition to winning the team points trophy, some highlights include:

MRA Singles Ladder - Sunday July 19th, 12:15pm

Come join us on Sunday, July 19th for the second Marin rowing singles ladder of the summer. The ladder is a 2500m member's only race conducted entirely in singles! The last ladder had a strong head wind, but we all had fun anyhow. We'd love to see some more faces down there, so get out in your singles and start practicing, then, come down on Sunday afternoon, July 19th and give the ladder a shot, even if you don't scull very much!When: Sunday, July 19, 2009Mandatory Race Meeting: 12:15pmFirst flight start time: 12:30pm (high tide at 12:30pm)Second flight: approx. 1:00pmMore flights: if needed.

Wentzel and Lucas Selected For US Jr. Women's 8+

MRA Varsity Women Kristy Wentzel and Chelsea Lucas have been selected out of the top rowers and coxswains in the Country to represent the United States at the 2009 FISA World Rowing Junior Championships August 5-8 in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France. Chelsea and Kristy were both in the Junior Women�s 8+ from Marin Rowing that won the National Championships in June. Chelsea was the coxswain for the US in 2008 and won a gold medal in the Jr. Women�s 8+. Congratulations to both athletes on their outstanding performances this season and GOOD LUCK in France! Marin Rowing is behind you every stroke!

Masters Race at NW Regionals

Congrats to the Advanced Women on their outstanding performance at the NW Regional Regatta! Overall the Advanced Women's Team had 13 boats medal and it was amazing to see so many Marin boats in each final. Each event had a full 12-14 entries and the D4 had 15+! B8: Gold (Final Only race) C8: Gold and Silver D8: Silver and Bronze E+8: Bronze B4: Silver, Bronze and 5th C4: Gold and 4th D4: Silver and 6th B4x: Gold Mixed B4+ Silver Mixed E8: Bronze More Team Results to come!! For full results go to: www.racetrak.com

MRA Singles Ladder Results - 6/7/09

The latest in the MRA Singles ladder series was a lot of fun, though the conditions were difficult. We ended up having a very strong headwind on the first half of the course, and most people ended up losing 30 seconds off of their times due to the conditions. But, we all still showed up and made the times. Thanks to everyone for coming down!The results from the most recent MRA singles ladder can be found in the file below and are also posted on the MRA Ladder board in the boat house:MRA Singles Ladder Results - 6/7/09

Varsity Women Win Second Straight National Title

Marin girls' crew tops nation for second straight year CalHiSports.com doesn't cover the sport of crew because there really is no organized high school competition in California, or any states for that matter. That doesn't mean that there are not countless numbers of young student-athletes that use crew as a ticket to some mighty fine educational institutions. A perfect example is the Marin Rowing Association, located in Larkspur, whose teams have sent countless young men and women on to college and successful rowing careers. Founded in 1968, it began as a boys program for only the Redwood of Larkspur boys and later girls, but now has student-athletes from high schools throughout Marin County as well as San Francisco participating in its highly-regarded program. The current stars of the program for high school age boys and girls is the Women's Varsity 8+ that just returned form winning its second straight Junior National Rowing Championship, June 12-14 at Harsha Lake in Cincinnati. On June 8, CalHiSports.com was actually on the water in the chase boat, watching the girls in a capacity as a local Marin journalist. We rode shotgun in the pontoon-style boat with MRA Executive Director and Women's Varsity 8+ Coach Sandy Armstrong while the girls were practicing for the Nationals on Corte Madera Creek near Highway 101 in Larkspur, just off San Francisco Bay waters. The part that seemed so exciting was the start as they practiced on their own without an official starter. Coxswain Chelsea Lucas, a recently graduated senior from Redwood who will be on the Cal crew team next year, was in total charge. "Attention, (pause) go! Pryyy,� said Lucas, drawing out the y in pry as she encouraged the girls to pry the water. With that command, the girls shot forward and Lucas continued to bark commands and encouragement crouched from her seat. "Slow down and let your knees come to your chest so when you have the blade to the water you can feel the connection,� said Armstrong from the drivers seat of the chase boat after the girls practiced several starts in the deep choppy waters. "Good power. I like what I see. Nice blade to the water. We're good to go,� continued Armstrong after the girls had fine-tuned things to her liking. Whatever Armstrong imparted to them about their start must have worked because on the chase boat she admitted that the girls' starts have not been their strength in the past. In Cincinnati, the girls blew away from the starting line and led from start to finish, winning in 6:45 for the 2000m race, and by five seconds over Phillips Exeter Academy from New Hampshire. Besides Lucas, the rest of the national title team included: Stroke, Erica Rippe, Drake (San Anselmo), senior, Cal; Caitlin Morgan, senior, Drake, Stanford; Michelle Leason, junior, Tamalpais (Mill Valley); Caroline Rosetti, senior, Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco), Cal; Kristy Wentzel, junior, Drake; Olivia Ley, senior, Branson (Ross), Princeton; Fiona Duffy, senior, Tamalpais, Columbia; bow seat, Audrey Wooster, senior, Redwood, Princeton.

MRA Singles Ladder, Sunday June 7, 2009, 1:45pm!

After a very long hiatus, Rachel and I are excited to announce the next MarinRowing singles ladder, a 2500m member's only race conducted entirely in singles! It has been entirely too long between ladders, so we're going to try to have one every month through the summer to make up for it. So, get out in your singles and start practicing, then, come down on Sunday afternoon, June 7th and give the ladder a shot, even if you don't scull very much!When: Sunday, June 7, 2009Mandatory Race Meeting: 1:45pmFirst flight start time: 2:15pm (high tide at 2:15pm)Second flight: approx. 2:45pmMore flights: if needed.

NCAA Women's Rowing

GRAND FINAL Varsity 8+ 1 Stanford 6:11.95 Marin alum Jenna Levy, cox 2 Virginia 6:12.32 3 California 6:14.76 4 Yale 6:17.22 Marin alum Maren McCrea 5 Brown 6:18.13 6 Princeton 6:24.02 GRAND FINAL Second Varsity 8+ 1 Yale 6:29.04 Marin alum Lauren Richards 2 California 6:29.58 Marin alum Adrienne Keller 3 Stanford 6:31.88 4 Brown 6:32.93 5 Washington 6:34.28 6 Virginia 6:37.17 Congratulations Marin Alum on GREAT racing! For full results: http://villanovarowing.com/ncaa/

Junior Summer Camp Girls Session I Closed

Session I of the Girls Summer Camp is now closed. We hope you can attend a different week!

Marin Juniors Triumphant at Regional Championships

For Full Results: www.racetrak.com Marin Rowing squads impress in regionals Marin Independent Journal SACRAMENTO - The Marin Rowing Association had a successful weekend, with the women topping the points standings and the men placing second at the Southwest Regional Championships at Lake Natoma that ended Sunday. Of the 26 Marin squads entered, 21 were medalists in a competition that included 35 teams from six states. In the men's events Marin took gold in the 2-, Frosh 8+, Frosh 4+, Novice A 8+, silver in the Lwt 8+, V4+, Lwt 4+, Novice B 8+, Novice 4+ and bronze in the V8+. In the women's events Marin took gold in the V8+, V4+, JV4+, Frosh 8+, Novice 4+, Novice B 8+, silver in the JV8+, V4+, Novice A 8+, Novice 4x and bronze in the 3V8+. Marin qualified for nationals in 9 events and will bring the women's 8+, women's lwt 2x, men's V8+ and a men's lwt 8+. Nationals will be held June 13-16 at Harsha Lake in Cincinnati, Ohio. The women's varsity eight, the defending national champions, covered the 2,000-meter course in 6:41.1. The men's varsity eight was just 2.7 seconds behind the reigning national champions from Newport in a time of 6:07.85.

Long Beach Invitational

MARIN ROWING BRINGS HOME 7 GOLDS, 3 SILVERS, 2 BRONZE MEDALS FROM LONG BEACH INVITATIONAL LONG BEACH, CALIF., April 21, 2009 � Marin Rowing Association�s junior crews brought home seven gold, three silver and two bronze medals from the Long Beach Junior Invitational Regatta, held April 18-19 at the Long Beach Marine Stadium in Southern California, home of the 1932 Olympics. Golds were earned by Marin Rowing�s Men in the Freshman 8+, Freshman 4+, Novice 4+, and Lightweight 8+ contests, while Marin�s Women brought home gold in the Novice 8A+, Novice 4+, and Freshman 4+ competitions. Silver medals were earned by Marin�s Women�s 3V8+, the Women�s Freshman 8+ and the Women�s Novice 8B+, and bronze medals were brought home by the Men�s and Women�s Freshman 4B+ squads. MRA�s gold-medal winning Men�s Lightweight 8+ crew included Coxswain Harry Blatt (Corte Madera), Stroke Zander Bonnorris (Larkspur), Taylor Feld (Tiburon), Andy Goldman (Greenbrae), Paul Panicacci (San Rafael), Ian Clark (Fairfax), Griffin Whitlock (Tiburon), Matty Norstad (Corte Madera), and bow seat Greig Stein (Kentfield). Rowing for the Women�s Novice 8A+ squad were Coxswain Annika Belzer (Kentfield), Stroke Marlena Morshead (San Anselmo), Elizabeth Littman (Sausalito), Sophie Rosenoer (Corte Madera), Charlotte Passot (Mill Valley), Anna Dellaria (San Rafael), Caitlin Byrnes (Fairfax), Brianna Lamb, and bow seat Tula Le Merle (Tiburon). For complete results from the Long Beach Junior Invitational, visit http://row2k.com/results/resultspage.cfm?UID=409661&cat=6. Marin will compete in their final league race this weekend, April 25 at Lake Natoma in Sacramento, before competing in the US Rowing Southwest Regional Championship Regatta May 9-10, also to be held at Lake Natoma.

Marin Wins at San Diego Crew Classic

Marin Rowing had big wins at the 36th Annual San Diego Crew Classic this weekend.The top results include these wins:Women's Varsity 8+:cox Chelsea Lucas, Erica Rippe, Caitlin Morgan, Michelle Leason, Caroline Rosetti, Kristy Wentzel, Olivia Ley, Fiona Duffy and bow Audrey Wooster.Women's Junior Varsity 8+:cox Greer Rosenbaum, Cailtin Boucher, Carly Schlocker, Maddie Wolf, Hailey Wunsch, Brett Erickson, Lela McCrea, Hollie Wallenfels and bow Lindsay Thimmig.Master Men's F 8+:cox Jay Rhoades, Sean Killeen, Dick Draeger, Alan Collenette, Michael Breard, Steve Johnson, Andy Kerr, Landon Carter and bow Joel Kimmel.For All Results:MRA ResultsFull ResultsSplit Times

SAVE THE DATE

AUCTION '09Save the date and join us for Auction '09!!!Saturday Evening, December 12, 2009Mill Valley Recreation CenterDinner, Dancing and Auction

MARIN ROWING LAUNCHES SPRING SEASON

MARIN ROWING LAUNCHES SPRINGSEASON WITH A BOATLOAD OF MEDALSBy Sue CawdreyGREENBRAE, CA, March 2, 2009 � Marin Rowing Association, home of the 2008 defending National Championship Womens Varsity 8+ crew, kicked off the 2009 spring season in true MRA fashion this weekend with medal winning finishes in all 16 races at Saturday�s Novice Regatta at Lake Merced in San Francisco, and tallied up 10 wins, two seconds and a fourth place finish at the Varsity Round Robin, also held at Lake Merced, on Sunday, March 1. Competing under windy conditions and grey skies, Marin�s Novice Men and Women brought home seven first place, five second place and four third place medals from the first 2K contest of the season, besting dozens of crews from throughout the state including Berkeley High School, Capital Crew (Sacramento), Humboldt Bay Rowing Association, Los Gatos Rowing Club, Marina Aquatic Center (Marina del Rey), Newport Aquatic Center (Newport Beach), North Bay Rowing Club, Oakland Strokes, Pacific Rowing Club (SF), River City Rowing Club, San Diego Rowing Club and the Stanford Juniors. For complete race results, visit Row2k.On Sunday, MRA�s winning streak continued with the varsity squads, who brought home 10 wins, two seconds and a fourth place finish. The race of the day for the Varsity Men was the Lightweight 8+ beating Newport by just .9 seconds across the line. The Varsity Women took first in all of the 8+ events, with both the Varsity and JVs clocking the fastest course times of the day. Racing in MRA�s Varsity Womens 8+ were Coxswain Chelsea Lucas and rowers Erica Rippe, Caitlin Morgan, Michelle Leason, Caroline Rosetti, Kristy Wentzel, Olivia Ley, Fiona Duffy and Maddie Wolf. The Varsity Womens 4x raced a great race and crossed the line racing the 4x from Humboldt who raced at the National Championships in �08, and the Lightweight 2x won their event over two other lightweight crews in addition to a few heavyweight crews in the same event. For complete race results, visit Row2k.�We have worked very hard over the past several months, training and conditioning in preparation for the season, and it shows,� comments Sandy Armstrong, Director of Marin Rowing Association and Head Coach for the Varsity Women. �I speak for all of our coaches when I say that we are extremely proud of the effort put forth by our athletes over the weekend. Every athlete gave an incredible individual performance.�Marin Rowing junior crews will race again this weekend in the Battle of the Bay on Saturday, March 7, to be held at the Jack London Aquatic Center in Oakland, where they will again face squads from Oakland, Berkeley and Saint Ignatius Prep.

ERGATHON!!

Congratulations to the Junior Team for an outstanding effort this weekend! Though we did not break the World Record, we came close enough to know that we can do it next year by setting better goals! Thanks to all the parent chaperones for your supoort over the 24-hour period.AND! Thanks to everyone who has donated to date, we are at $40,000 and well on our way to our $60,000 goal. Keep those checks coming in to support our Junior Program.Some late night photos are now up in the photo section!