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Pushing against challenging, choppy headwinds, eight Norcal Crew rowers zipped to the finish line at the prestigious San Diego Crew Classic regatta, inching ahead of the Marin Rowing Association, on March 29.
The gold medal win in the youth, eight-person men’s competition is a milestone for the Redwood City-based club, which achieved its strongest showing at the tournament to date.
Norcal Varsity 8 team member Miles Sosnowski, a junior at Junipero Serra High School, said that the win in San Diego felt incredible. His team also traveled to West Windsor, New Jersey, on April 12, where it won first place at the Mercer Spring Invitational.
“We beat Marin after losing to them four weeks prior, which was very motivating heading into the rest of the season,” he said in an email. “Winning at Princeton was also very exciting because we didn’t know exactly what to expect from the top East Coast programs, and beating them showed us that we are fast at the national level, not just on the West Coast.”
Sosnowski credited the team’s training over the last couple of months for the wins.
“We have been doing long, hard sessions every Saturday, which have prepared us really well for racing,” he said. “We didn’t celebrate either of the wins too hard, because at this point in the season, it’s crucial that we stay focused for regionals and then nationals after that.”
Nationals take place in Sarasota, Florida, in June.
Parent Kimberly Allison noted that rowing crew “really cultivates a mindset in young student-athletes that competitive colleges value.”
“The dedication it demands and the lessons they learn working together to be their best as a crew — translates into discipline, resilience, and ability to collaborate at a high level,” she said in an email.
The men’s head coach, John Kaitz, said that the men’s win was a “defining moment” for the program.
“The boys trusted their training, stayed committed to the plan, and showed incredible grit,” he said in a prepared statement. “Watching them come through the final 200 meters — knowing what they were achieving — was unforgettable. They’ve set a new standard and shown what Norcal men’s rowing is capable of.”
The women’s team also had a standout performance, according to a club press release. In an eight-person race, the women’s team finished just 7 seconds off the gold medal pace, marking the best result in recent program history (with results tracked back to 2017), according to Norcal.
“Together, they’ve shown what Norcal Crew is capable of — and where we’re going next,” said Executive Director Beth Anderson in a prepared statement.
Norcal was one of only five clubs with adaptive athletes at the tournament, according to the club. Adaptive rowing can include equipment modifications for people with physical, intellectual, neurodivergence or other impairments, according to USRowing’s website.
Hayden Htun, a junior at Carlmont High School, and TC Gunther, a senior at Design Tech High School, were the fastest in their classification.
“This victory underscores Norcal’s leadership in advancing adaptive rowing on the West Coast and its dedication to providing competitive opportunities for athletes of all abilities,” according to the release.
