Fourteen Lamorinda high schoolers brought home medals from the USRowing Southwest Youth Regional Championships over the weekend of May 1-3. Their wins helped Oakland Strokes record two historic gold medals and qualify 10 boats. The qualifying boats, including nine of the 14 Lamorinda athletes, are now headed to the USRowing Youth National Championships in Sarasota, Florida, in June.

    Acalanes junior Ingrid Flory of Lafayette rowed in the six seat of the Oakland Strokes Women's Varsity 8+, which won the gold medal, the club's first Women's V8+ regional title in 12 years. 

    The Men's U17 8+, coached by Sean Gibel, also took gold, the club's first-ever win in the event's A Final. Three Lamorinda rowers were in the boat: Campolindo's Cole Grakauskas of Moraga in the two seat, Campolindo's Ryan Koray of Moraga in the four seat, and Head-Royce's Hawk Coulston of Lafayette in the six seat.

    "What I'm most proud of is the culture this squad built, working hard, being coachable, and lifting up their teammates," said Sean Gibel, the Oakland Strokes Men's U17/U16 Coach. 

    Five more Lamorinda athletes qualified for Nationals in other Oakland Strokes boats. Leela Grimaud of Miramonte High School (Orinda) coxed the silver-medal Women's 2V 8+. Four Lamorinda rowers were in the Women's 3V 8+, which qualified for Nationals by finishing fourth in the 2V A Final: Harper Jaffe and Paige Sovocool of Miramonte High School,Alexis Kolovyansky of Acalanes High School, and coxswain Laila Shahsavari of Miramonte High School. 
    Acalanes sophomore Campbell Deane of Lafayette also brought home a medal: she rowed in the three seat of an Oakland Strokes 4V crew that took silver in the Women's Youth 3V 8+ A Final, earning a regional medal (this race is not a Nationals-qualifying event).

    Four more Lamorinda athletes were in the Oakland Strokes Men's 3V 8+, which took bronze in the Men's Youth 3V 8+ A Final: Campolindo senior Liam Dinwiddie of Lafayette in the bow seat, Campolindo junior Wyatt Schmah of Moraga in the four seat, College Prep junior Adam Fibrich of Moraga in the six seat, and Miramonte sophomore Brenden Lee of Orinda at coxswain. The boat earned a regional medal but does not advance to Nationals.

    For more information, visit oaklandstrokes.org.