Road to 2022 Youth Nationals Starts This Weekend

The road to the 2022 USRowing Youth National Championships begins this weekend as more than 1,000 crews are scheduled to race at three qualification regattas, vying for spots in the United States' premier youth rowing event.

"We're excited to kick off this year's road to the USRowing Youth National Championships with a full slate of qualifying regattas including being back on the water in the Southwest for the first time since 2019," said Sarah McAuliffe, USRowing Director of Event Planning & Services. "This year's youth nationals will feature an expanded event list, as we incorporate U15, U16, and U17 racing into the program and provide more racing opportunities for rowers across the country. We're looking forward to getting on the water this weekend."

After a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, the USRowing Southwest Youth Championships is back at Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif. The regatta will be held May 6-8 and will feature more than 1,700 athletes and 556 crews racing for titles in 40 events. Los Gatos Rowing Club leads the way in terms of team entries with 50 boats making the two-hour drive north, while the women's youth double sculls has the most event entries with 36 crews scheduled to race.

When the regatta was last held in 2019, Marin Rowing Association won the women's points trophy, with Newport Aquatic Center winning the men's points trophy.

The 2022 USRowing Central Youth Championships will take place May 7-8 on the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City's Boathouse District. This year's regatta will feature nearly 800 athletes in more than 339 crews racing for titles in 46 events. Texas Rowing Center has the most entries, with 36 boats scheduled to compete in Oklahoma. Like the Southwest, the women's youth double sculls has the most entries with 26 boats in the field.

Last year, Texas Rowing Center swept the points trophies, winning the overall, men's, and women's trophies.

The 2022 Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association City Championships also will take place on May 7-8 on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pa. Entries for the City Championships close on Wednesday. Crews will be competing for medals in 48 events, with qualification spots available in select events for both the USRowing Youth National Championships and the Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) Regatta. Last year, nearly 450 boats from 65 programs raced at the City Championships.

The 2022 USRowing Youth National Championships will be held in partnership with Visit Sarasota County and the Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy from June 9-12 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla. Athletes must qualify for the event through one of 12 qualification regattas, which are held over the next four weekends.

The nation's premier rowing venue, Nathan Benderson Park has hosted numerous national and international rowing events including the 2019 USRowing Youth National Championships and 2021 USRowing Youth National Regatta.

Follow along throughout the month of May and early June on USRowing's social media accounts via the hashtag, #SeeYouInSarasota.