Finals Set at 2022 USRowing Youth National Championships

With semifinals in the books, finals are now set in the 33 events at the 2022 USRowing Youth National Championships at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla.

Presented by Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc., this year's event is the largest ever, featuring more than 3,500 high school and junior athletes from 210 programs.

The women's youth four with coxswain is setting up to be a tight final, as four crews were within four seconds of each other in today's semifinal races. Blair Academy set the pace in yesterday's time trial, but The Winsor School came out ahead in today's first semifinal. Stroked by Imogen Cabot, who won a gold medal in the four with coxswain at the 2021 World Rowing Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, the crew of coxswain Isabella Liu, Cabot, Olivia Hochberg, Evelyn Wells, and Emeline Daley bested Blair Academy by just under four seconds, clocking the fastest time of the two races in a 7:21.07. In the second semifinal, Detroit Boat Club held off Deerfield Academy by 0.23 seconds to win in a 7:22.82.

In the men's four with coxswain, Deerfield Academy backed up its time trial victory with a strong performance in the first of two semifinals. Stroked by John Patton, who won gold in the eight at the 2021 World Rowing Junior Championships, the crew of coxswain Darien Chiang, John Patton, Oscar Patton, George Fauver, and Juddson Smith clocked a 6:34.54 to win the race by more than five seconds. Greenwich Crew won the second semifinal in a 6:37.33. Click here to see today's video feature on Patton.

In the men's youth eight, five crews were within 2.3 seconds of each other across the two semifinals. Newport Aquatic Center won the second semi in a 5:52.56 over Sarasota Crew and Marin Rowing Association, while Greenwich Crew took the first semifinal in a 5:53.63 ahead of Saugatuck Rowing Club and St. Joseph's Prep. On the women's side, Marin Rowing Association set the bar by winning the first semifinal in a 6:34.41 over Greenwich Crew and RowAmerica Rye. Chicago Rowing Foundation cruised to an easy victory in the second semi of the women's youth eight, clocking a 6:38.23 to win by nearly five seconds. Princeton National Rowing Association/Mercer finished second with Newport Aquatic Center finishing third.

After finishing fourth in a tightly contested time trial yesterday in the men's youth single sculls, Rowing Club of the Woodlands' Devan Godfrey set the top time in today's semifinals, winning the first semi in a 7:15.96. Godfrey finished just over two seconds ahead of Charlotte Youth Rowing's Henry LaPage. South Orlando Rowing Association's Cooper Hagan won the second semi in a 7:22.79.

In the women's youth single sculls, Oak Neck Academy's Catherine Berry is trying to follow in her sister Ella's footsteps by taking home the gold medal. Ella won the event last year, while Catherine posted the fastest time of the day in winning her semifinal on Friday, crossing the line in a 7:57.85. Her top competition should come from Los Gatos Rowing Club's Meena Baher, who won the first semifinal by 12 seconds, clocking a 7:58.87. Baher, who was a member of the women's quadruple sculls at last year's World Rowing Junior Championships, also stroked the Los Gatos women's youth quadruple sculls crew to a spot in the final later in the morning.

In the men's youth quadruple sculls, Los Gatos Rowing Club and Newport Sea Base Rowing won the two semifinals, with less than a second separating the two boats. Newport Sea Base got the best of Los Gatos a month ago at the 2022 USRowing Southwest Youth Championships, but Los Gatos posted the fastest time this morning, winning the second semifinal in a 6:11.22. Newport Sea Base won the first semifinal in a 6:12.21. The women's youth quad saw Redwood Scullers cross the line in a 6:53.58 to set the fastest time of the semifinals. Redwood won the second semi by more than three seconds. Y Quad Cities, the defending champion in the event, won the first semifinal in a 6:58.74.

Click here for today's complete results.

Racing continues Saturday with the C and D finals in the youth boat classes, as well as the B and C finals in the U17, U16, and U15 categories. Sunday's racing will feature the A finals (medal races) for all boat classes and the B finals for the youth boat classes. Click here for a complete schedule and here for the heat sheet.

Saturday and Sunday's racing will be streamed live on USRowing's YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/usrowingorg. In addition, USRowing has partnered with Rowers Choice to provide a daily preview and recap show, USRowing Race Day Coverage powered by Rowers Choice.

Click here for complete coverage of the 2022 USRowing Youth National Championships.

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