LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Strokes Crews Make Finals


Oakland Strokes Womens Junior JV8+: Indigo Catton, Tara Bozzini, Abby Vare, Caitlin Olson, Caroline Carper, Marie Johnson, Katie Ware, Madelynn Prendergast and Lauren Elizabeth Noga. Photo provided

Oakland Strokes sent six crews south to San Diego's Mission Bay to compete in America's Premier Spring Regatta, the San Diego Crew Classic on April 6-7. This year 422 crews from 140 clubs in 27 US states and three countries participated.

The first final was the Junior Men's Lightweight 8+ rowing for the Shimano Rowing Dynamics Cup on late Saturday afternoon. The crew, including Lamorinda rowers Eli Morley (Bentley), Ben Peterson (Campolindo) and coxswain Hannah Christopher (Miramonte), finished fifth with a time of 6:30.43.

The remaining Oakland Strokes crews raced Sunday afternoon.

Varsity 8+ women have been battling Marin all season for first place, and this time Marin came out ahead besting the Strokes' team, including Alia Shafi (Acalanes), Lizzie Pate (Miramonte), Ellen Pate (Miramonte), Camille Triebsch (Campolindo) and Laura Rosas (Miramonte) by 3.54 seconds to take the Gilman-Mulliken Cup.

In the Junior Mens Varsity William Robinson Memorial Cup Grand Final, the Strokes qualified for final with the second fastest time of the day and finished third, behind a crew that included Erik Johnson (Miramonte), Kevin Chang (Bentley), Cubby Parker (Bentley) and coxswain Karmi Chan (Miramonte).

Two Oakland Strokes Junior Women's boats qualified for their JV final with the Strokes "A" boat winning the race to bring home the ZLAC Rowing Club Trophy. The winning boat's roster included Indigo Catton (Campolindo), Tara Bozzini (Acalanes), Marie Johnson (Miramonte), and Katie Ware (Acalanes). The Strokes JV "B" boat finished in fourth place with a roster that included Isabella Calderon (Miramonte), Olivia Klinkenberg (Acalanes), and Hanna Stenovec (Miramonte).

The Junior Men's JV 8+ was the last of the Strokes crews to compete on Sunday and finished fifth with Aubert Marcu (Miramonte) and coxswain Brenna Lowrey (Miramonte).