Finals Set at 2024 Youth National Championships

Finals Set at 2024 Youth National Championships

With the completion of today's semifinals, finals are now set in the 44 events at the 2024 USRowing Youth National Championships at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla.

Presented by Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc., this year's event features the largest number of entries ever with 854 boats from 224 clubs across the country. Today's racing determined the boats who will be competing in the A (medal races) and B finals on Sunday and the C and D finals on Saturday. 

In the men's four with coxswain event, both races for the remaining spots in the final came down to inches. In the first semifinal of the men's four with coxswain, Newport Sea Base won in a time of 6:35.67. The race for the final three spots was between four boats with only 1.2 seconds separating second and fifth. Belmont Hill beat Pocock to second place by only .02. Newport Aquatic Center finished ahead of Norcal Crew by a little over one second to win in the second semifinal. NAC crossed the line in a time of 6:35.51, with Norcal finishing in a 6:36.62. RowAmerica Rye finished third and Orlando Area Rowing beat out St. Andrew Rowing Club by .24 to secure the final spot in the A final. 

In one of the closest races of the day for first, Newport Aquatic Center's women's eight recorded the fastest time of the day in winning the second semifinal. NAC crossed the line in a 6:41.53, finishing just .23 seconds ahead of Marin. The Marin crew clocked a 6:41.76. RowAmerica Rye won the first semifinal comfortably by over 5 seconds with a 6:42.61. 

In the first semifinal of the men's youth eight, RowAmerica Rye posted the fastest time of the day, finishing in a 5:52.45 to finish over five and a half seconds ahead of Greenwich Crew. Saugatuck finished third. Oakland Strokes won the second semifinal in a time of 5:54.32, three seconds ahead of St. Joseph's Preparatory School. 

Less than half a second separates the top two women's singles, Waterford's Ana Holtey  and Triangle Rowing Club's Annelise Hahl, both won their semifinals. These athletes will face off against second place finishers, Bridgette Knapp from Long Beach and Grace Moore from Newport Rowing Club. Holtey won silver and Hahl won bronze in this event last year. Both are vying for the top step on Sunday.

In the men's quadruple scull, Los Gatos won the first semifinal in 6:17.69 followed by Maritime in a time of 6:21.36. Whitemarsh crossed the finish line first in the second semifinal with the fastest time of 6:15.01 with second place finishers, Oregon Rowing Unlimited clocking a 6:21.81.

In the women's quadruple sculls, Los Gatos and Oregon Rowing Unlimited battled down the course. Los Gatos took the win by just over one second in the second semifinal clocking a 7:10.98. In the first semifinal, Redwood Scullers bested Rowing Club of the Woodlands by 3.19 seconds, finishing with a time of 7:06.82. Rowing Club of the Woodlands finished in a 7:10.01.

Brophy College Preparatory Crew's Ian O'Riley posted the fastest time of the semifinals. Racing in the second of two semis, O'Riley finished in a 7:14.40 to earn the victory over Williamsburg Boat Club's William Fuller, who clocked a 7:18.95. In the first semifinal, Oak Neck Academy's Henry Davison bested Simeon John from CRI by just .62 seconds after a late charge from John. Davison crossed the line in a 7:15.89, with John finishing in a 7:16.51.

Click here for today's complete results.

Racing continues Saturday with B finals in the U17, U16, and U15 boat classes, as well as the C and D finals. 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.

The event will be streamed live on Overnght.

Located in Sarasota, Fla., Nathan Benderson Park is a unique 600-acre community park that includes North America's premier 2,000-meter sprint rowing course and a regatta center. It previously hosted youth nationals in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Click here for complete coverage of the 2024 USRowing Youth National Championships and check out our feature on Maritime's men's quadruple sculls, who will be racing in the A final on Sunday. 

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