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Wayland Weston flies down the course at the 2022 Head of the Charles.

Results:

Wayland Weston at the 2022 Head of the Charles!
youth single: 22nd of 43 (20:11)
women's youth eight: 24th of 89 (17:36)
men's youth eight: 53rd of 89 (15:58)

Wayland Weston wins the points trophy at NH Championships - Oct 16, 2022
Results here

https://www.herenow.com/results/#/races/21030/results

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Wayland Weston races at NE Championships - Oct 8-9, 2022
Watch live stream of racing here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOxLrcI-PGA

Wayland Weston Wins Gold, Silver & Bronze at New England Championships

On the back of their season-opening successes at the Textile Regatta, the Wayland-Weston crew team competed on Worcester’s Lake Quinsigamond in a two-day head race on October 8 and 9, taking six medals home from the 13th annual New England Junior, High School & Masters Championship Regatta.

Over the course of the bright, sunny, and cool fall weekend, 55 teams competed, with 508 different entries, and WW Crew made a great showing, facing tough competition in their events on the 4,100 meter course. Program director Mike Baker said, “We had a fantastic showing at the New England Jr/High school championships. We came to race and race we did. We saw some new stiff competition that we didn't see from last week [at the Textile Regatta], which only makes us strive to be faster for the upcoming regattas.”

Wayland-Weston medaled in six of its 17 races. Starting the race weekend on Saturday, the middle school girls 2X (Sadie St. Clair, Millie McVie) sculled to win gold in their 3,200 meter contest. Taking silver in his Men's Masters 1x competition on Saturday was Wayland-Weston alum and novice girls assistant coach Matthew Marchiony.

Wayland-Weston’s varsity boys 2 (Theodore Dahl and Andrew Orion) kicked off what would become a great day for the team, winning gold in Sunday’s first race of the day. The novice boys first 8+ (Briar Sutherland-Dufour as coxswain, Mario Purser, Oren Waxman, Robert Walmsley, Andrew Cui, Jacob Zeng, Evan Boshart, Atticus DeGrenier, Felix Kissell), hungry to compete after high winds forced the cancelation of their Textile Regatta race the week before, won silver. The varsity girls second 8+ (Clara Sin, Maya Noyes, Gretta Santangelo, Liepa Kazlas, Jillian Segel, Eilidh McVie, Jasmine Fu, Julia DeGrenier, Clara Walsh) won silver in a race of 17 boats.

As the afternoon went on, Wayland-Weston's crews made strong showings throughout competitive races. Baker noted, "We had crews racing in higher categories that completely dominated, and stepped up to the challenge. While they didn't place, they raced for the middle of the pack finishes, which is encouraging, because they had beaten many crews that are bigger, stronger, and have more experience."

In the fiercest competition of the day, Wayland-Weston's first varsity 8s raced hard, with the girls varsity 8+ (Alice Weeple as coxswain, Maddie Genis, Sophia Xie, Riley Kendall, Jacqueline Stjernfeldt, Ava Balukonis, Natalia Serov, Siena Flanigon, Riley Reynolds) taking silver, and the boys varsity 8+ (Sophie Roman as coxswain, Zachary Kano, Sean Balbale, Miles Reynolds, Andrew Orio, Alexander Dremov, Theodore Dahl, Daniel McDonald, Thomas Lee) taking bronze.

Next up for Wayland Weston's crew team is the New Hampshire Championships George Dirth Regatta on October 16. The following weekend, Wayland-Weston will have three boats racing in the world-famous Head of the Charles Regatta. Come on down to the banks and bridges of the Charles River on Sunday, October 23 to cheer on Wayland Weston Crew!

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Alums of Wayland Weston compete at the World Championships

https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/sports/rowing/2022/10/11/four-wayla

nd-weston-crew-alums-compete-world-rowing-championships/10439051002/.

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(Article submitted October 7, 2022)
WW Crew Kicks Off Fall Season with Gold and Silver at Textile Regatta in Lowell

Returning to racing in the Textile Regatta in Lowell for the first time since fall 2019, Wayland-Weston Crew dominated the start of its fall season, as all four of the team’s boys and girls first and second varsity 8+ boats took medals in first and second place.

As veterans of the Wayland-Weston Rowing Association can tell you, “If it’s hot at home, it’s hotter in Lowell. If it’s cold at home, it’s colder in Lowell.” And on Sunday, October 2, it was windy at home…and windier in Lowell. Wayland-Weston athletes powered through choppy currents and winds of 20 mph along the Merrimack River’s 4,500 meter course. As Varsity Girls captain Siena Flanigon described, “The windy conditions certainly threw a curve ball at us, but everyone stayed positive and performed to the best of their ability. I was impressed by the focus of every squad at the regatta.”

Taking first place in a field of 14 boats was the Girls Varsity 8+ (Alice Weeple as coxswain; Maddie Genis, Natalia Serov, Liepa Kazlas, Riley Reynolds, Jacqueline Stjernfeldt, Ava Balukonis, Siena Flanigon, Sophia Xie). The Boys Varsity 8+( Sophie Roman as coxswain, Conall Lane, Sean Balbale, Miles Reynolds, Zachary Kano, Daniel McDonald, Theodore Dahl, Andrew Orio, Thomas Lee) took bronze in its field of 17 boats.

Wayland-Weston’s 2nd varsity boats both took silver in their events, with the Girls 2 V8+ (Clara Sin as coxswain, Maya Noyes, Gretta Santangelo, Eilidh McVie, Riley Kendall, Patricia Pak, Jay Fu, Julia DeGrenier, Clara Walsh) placing second in a field of 19 boats, and the Boys 2 V8+ (Max Markarian as coxswain, Liam Moore, Nicholas Melnichenko, Graham Schwendt, Magnus Starrett, Kevin Liew, Mattias Johansson, Liam Munford, Henrik Stjernfeldt) within 10 seconds of rivals Friends of Brookline. The boys third varsity 8+ boat (Giovanni Sebastianelli as coxswain, Ryan McInerney, Spencer Dobson, Alexander Melnichenko, Tanas Kazlas, Matthew Colsman, William Shimada-Brand, Arvin Hedayat, Evan Brown) made a great showing in their event, which combined teams’ second and third varsity 8+ boats. Placing eighth overall, the boat was second among the race’s third varsity boats.

Similarly, Wayland-Weston made a strong showing across the Girls 4+ event combining teams’ second and third varsity boats. Winning silver in a field of 25 boats were Clara Sin as coxswain, Liepa Kazlas, Riley Kendall, Maddie Genis, and Sophia Xie. Placing eighth of the 25 (and third among the 3V boats) were Nandhana Nair as coxswain, Maya Noyes, Jillian Segel, Penelope Biddle and Addison Nugent. The first Girls 4+ boat (Alice Weeple, Siena Flanigon, Jacqueline Stjernfeldt, Ava Balukonis, Riley Reynolds) placed seventh in its highly competitive field of 20 boats.

Wayland-Weston’s novice (first year) boys and girls’ 4+ boats took to the water in, for many of them, their first regatta, gaining valuable experience to take forward to their next competition. With the high winds and choppy waters, the Textile Regatta ultimately canceled races for novice 8+ boats. But despite the disappointment for these WW boats, who were geared up and ready to race, both boys and girls novice teams handled disappointment with grace, bringing their enthusiasm and positive energy to WW overall.

WW Crew program director and varsity girls coach Mike Baker was pleased with the day, saying, “What a great way to start the season. Not knowing what speed we have going into the first regatta is always nerve-racking, but equally exciting. All squads showed a level of focus that is very impressive, but most importantly, it paid off out on the water. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do this weekend in Worcester, where we’ll see the same competition as we did this past weekend, but a few more, faster, crews.”

Up next for WW Crew is the 13th Annual New England Junior and High School Fall Championship Regatta, a two-day head race on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester.

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Wayland-Weston Crew to Host Annual Ergathon

(Article submitted September 23, 2022)
Come on down to Lake Cochituate and learn to erg!

On Saturday, September 24, from 8am to about 11AM, the Wayland-Weston Rowing Association will host their annual Ergathon, where the WW Crew team’s high school athletes will compete in teams, rowing on ergometers (or “ergs”) and raising funds to support the program’s purchase of boats and equipment.

More than just a key fundraiser, the Ergathon is a truly exciting competition to watch, as each athlete races for approximately 6,500 meters on the erg, switching out with teammates and each rowing for roughly 25 minutes in various bursts. Spectators will get a rare chance to see up close why rowing is often called “the ultimate team sport,” as older, experienced varsity athletes cheer on novices; racers sub in and out for one another seamlessly; and teammates scream and cheer as they gather around the last teammate who leaves nothing in the tank as they race to close out their team’s erg.

Spectators will also have an opportunity to tour the boat house, sample a true rowing staple–pancakes–and, with the guidance of a varsity athlete or coach, even try out rowing on an erg, getting a head start on proper technique and discovering why rowing is such a great workout.

As one of WWRA’s major fundraising events each year, the Ergathon is a crucial source of funds for the purchase and maintenance of everything from cox boxes to oars to boats, and even scholarships to defray the costs of team memberships so that fees are not a barrier to participation.

All are welcome to usher in the new season at this exciting event held on the grass under the trees on the shores of Lake Cochituate in Wayland. The event is free and all are welcome to donate in support of the athletes powering this competition, and in support of the WWRA.

Wayland-Weston Crew athletes have been training hard on the water–and on ergs–for the new season, and will make their fall racing debut on October 2, 2022 at the Textile Regatta in Lowell.

Interested in donating to the Ergathon?

https://www.wwcrew.org/support/ergathon

And come join us this Saturday!

News archive

(Article submitted April 25, 2022)
Wayland-Weston Crew Kicks off Spring Season at the Harvard-Henley Regatta

Kicking off the spring season with their first race of 2022, Wayland-Weston Crew made a strong showing at the sixth annual Harvard Henley Regatta. Hosted by Bare Hill Rowing Association, the competition—a round robin of dual racing between Wayland-Weston, Boston Latin (BLS), Bromfield Acton-Boxborough (BAB), and Brookline High School (BHS)—is a unique event that pays homage to England’s famous Henley Royal Regatta, founded in 1839. Bare Hill’s version this side of the pond was held on April 24 in Harvard, MA, where crews competed in chilly, overcast conditions and spectators lined the beach and docks to cheer on their teams.

Unlike the famed race’s course on the Thames, the course on Harvard’s Bare Hill Pond is much shorter, at 1,000 meters. For each event, teams competed in a two-boat knockout format, racing head-to-head in qualifying heats of two, with the winners going on to compete in the A final and the losers two competing in a B final. The first event of the day was one of Wayland-Weston’s best overall. The 1st Varsity Girls 8+ had a rough start during their first race, but were able to push past BAB during their final sprint. In the final, they beat BLS with open water during their second race, winning the Artemis Trophy for the 3rd year in a row. The 1st Varsity Girls 8+ rowers were Maddie Genis, Skylar Gould, Siena Flanigon, Riley Kendall, Ava Balukonis, Quinn Gleason, Sophia Xie, and Riley Reynolds, with coxswain Max Markarian.

Wayland-Weston’s Varsity Boys had an excellent opportunity to test its speed against some of the best competition in the region. Though stumbling in all of their first races, each boat managed to rebound and reset into great second races in the petit finals. Despite losing their qualifying heat, the 1st Varsity Boys 8+ was even able to post the fastest time among both the A and B finals with a time of 3.22.1. Rowing in the were Lucian Mahoney, Connal Lane, Aleksi Reczek, Paul Speciel, Andrew Orio, Sean Balbale, Lucas Tang, and Zach Bell, with coxswain Sophie Roman.

Strong rowing prevailed for Wayland-Weston’s other boats as many also placed first in their B finals, including the 2nd Varsity Girls 8+ and the 2nd Varsity Boys 8+. Another event of note was the 3rd Varsity Boys 8+, which won its B final with novice rower Briar Sutherland-Dufour stepping up and sitting in for that boat’s vacationing coxswain. The Novice Girls 8+ won their qualifying heat and placed second in the A final, and the Novice Boys 8+ quickly learned from their first race to improve in their second race, with strong execution and a hard-fought race against BAB.

The afternoon’s events featured varsity coxed fours and doubles. The Varsity Girls again took first place with their 1st Varsity 4+, composed of Sophia Xie, Riley Reynolds, Ava Balukonis, Maddie Genis, and coxswain Max Markarian. The 2nd Varsity Girls 4+ were able to get second place in their A final, despite their cox box breaking 20 strokes into the race.

An fun and unusual moment occurred on, of all places, land, when the 1st Boys Varsity 8+s from BAB and BHS, whose final ended in a dead heat, competed to break their tie in a tug-of-war with rowers and coxswains vying for two out of three. Bromfield Acton-Boxborough took the first two to claim the win.

All told, the Harvard Henley was a promising start to the spring season for Wayland-Weston—an opportunity to focus on getting back into the race mindset and to gear up for the Saratoga Invitational Regatta on Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs, NY, where WW’s varsity rowers will compete on April 30 & May 1.

Full regatta results and more info about Wayland-Weston Crew can be found at https://www.wwcrew.org/home

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(Article submitted October 2021)

Wayland-Weston Crew Takes Home Medals at Fall State Championships

On Halloween, Wayland-Weston Crew raced in their last regatta of the season, MPSRA (Massachusetts Public Schools Rowing Association) Fall State Championships, graciously hosted on Fall River’s South Watuppa Pond by Watuppa Rowing Center. Featuring 28 events for Girls and Boys boats, the regatta was sanctioned and overseen by the U.S. Rowing Association. Wayland-Weston Crew competed in 16 events.

A mischievous trick-or-treat spirit prevailed as extremely challenging conditions dominated the morning races, with variable water and wind conditions necessitating several changes by race officials to the gruelling 3,800-meter (2.36-mile) course. All of Wayland-Weston's boats raced with grit, even as they dealt with rolling white caps that submerged riggers at times!

By the afternoon's varsity races, the water and wind settled down and allowed for more even competition. The Varsity Girls 8+s (eight rowers plus coxswain) won both their events, defeating Duxbury, Hingham, Boston Latin, Brookline, Arlington-Belmont, and others.

The Varsity Boys, up against firm competition, comported themselves well, with Varsity Boys boats medaling in all events they competed in and winning several sculling events. Both Wayland-Weston first and second eights finished third behind Brookline and Duxbury. The third eight finished second behind Brookline.

In the morning, with variable conditions, the Novice Girls 4+ rowed hard amongst tough competition, defeating Bromfield Acton-Boxborough and others, and closing out a season of first-place wins. The Novice Boys 1st 8+ rowed hard amongst tough competition and conditions, while the Novice Boys 2nd 8+ won their event and finally took home a medal to close out a great season of hard work.

The Middle School Girls sent two coxed quadruple sculls boats (4x+), powered by a coxswain and four rowers with two oars each, to race Bromfield Acton-Boxborough, with all three boats handling the challenging early morning race conditions well.

All told, despite blustery fall weather, Wayland-Weston made a strong showing at State Championships, bringing home medals in all but one event, closing out a fantastic fall season and a joyous return to competition post-Covid. As Wayland-Weston athletes turn to winter sports or begin winter training as a team, all have their eyes set to spring 2022 when they will return to Lake Cochituate for another great season.

Full regatta results and more info about Wayland-Weston Crew can be found at https://www.wwcrew.org/home

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(submitted Oct 26, 2021)

Wayland-Weston Crew Pulls Hard, Requalifies, at the Head of the Charles Regatta

A perfect fall day marked the return of the Head of the Charles Regatta to excited athletes and supporters from all over the country and internationally, including Wayland-Weston Crew. Two Wayland-Weston HS boats--a Varsity Girls 8+ (eight rowers plus coxswain) and a Varsity Boys 4+ (four rowers plus coxswain)--raced on Sunday in this world-famous event, the largest regatta in the world, with over 600 clubs, 2,200 boats, and 11,000 rowers from 20 countries cheered on by 250,000 fans. WW coaches and alumni also competed, representing their colleges and clubs.

Though HOCR is in our own backyard, it is essentially the national championship for fall head racing, and an honor to compete in, as the best rowing programs from across the US and beyond send their most competitive squads to the storied competition on the famous Charles River upstream course over three tortuous and grueling miles while negotiating seven bridges.

The Varsity Girls (Max Markarian as coxswain, Quinn Gleason, Siena Flanigon, Natalia Serov, Ava Balukonis, Sophia Xie, Megan O’Donnell, Riley Kendall, Maddie Genis) had another remarkable performance, finishing 26th among 76 boats in the Women's Youth Eights event, requalifying the boat for next year’s HOCR. Such a finish is both an indication of how highly regarded this crew are among a highly competitive national field, and a promising sign of its strength, given the Covid hiatus and its young team.

The Varsity Boys 4+ (Mark Driscoll as coxswain, Zachary Bell, Aidan Mozayeni, Lucas Tang, Lucian Mahoney) made a strong showing in a very competitive Men’s Youth Eights field, finishing 66th out of a field of 84 boats.

From the WW coaching staff, accolades go to WW alumna Sarah Maietta (representing Riverside Boat Club), who finished fifth in the field of the Women’s Lightweight Singles, a serious and elite race with determined competition. Representing Cambridge Boat Club, coach Paul Hoffman, with WWRA board member Tim Wood in the boat, did a fun race on Saturday in the Grand Master Eights Age 60+, racing again on Sunday in a Director’s Challenge Mixed Eight (men and women) that included WW Varsity Girls’ Lily Noyes. Completing the coaching representation was Dan Mahoney racing with UMass Aging Aggies Rowing Program in the Men’s Alumni Eights, and Yara Akkeh as coxswain in the Women’s Master Fours Age 60+ for Newport Aquatic Center.

The 2021 Head of the Charles also marked an opportunity for the Wayland-Weston Crew community to see familiar faces both on and off the water and cheer with pride for WW alumni as they raced for their colleges. Alumni in competition this year included Clara Hurney (racing for Colby College in the Women’s Collegiate Fours), Kate Maietta (racing for U. Penn. in the Women's Championship Fours), Jenna Martin (racing for Dartmouth College), Max Marchiony (racing for Dartmouth College in the Men’s Lightweight Eights), Danielle Kahan (coxing a Friends of Brown Women’s Crew in Women’s Alumnae Eights) and Henry Gula stroking the Massachusetts State Police entry in Men’s Masters Fours Age 40+. Jamie Martin, racing for MIT in Women’s Lightweight Fours, took first place.

On Halloween, WW heads to Fall River’s South Watuppa Pond for the MPSRA (Massachusetts Public Schools Rowing Association) Fall State Championships, a U.S. Rowing Association sanctioned-regatta. In their last regatta of a powerful season, the Varsity Girls 8 will race to hold on to their 2019 trophy as the team aims to bring home a few new wins for 2021.

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(submitted Oct 19, 2021)

Wayland-Weston Crew Is Back Racing with a Powerful Return for the Fall Season!

For the first time in nearly two years, Wayland-Weston Crew returned to competition on the water in its first regatta of the season, the New England Youth and High School Championship. On October 9 and 10, in a two-day head race on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Wayland-Weston fielded 20 boats and was thrilled with the results, with 12 boats medaling and three taking first place.

Program Director Mike Baker noted, “We didn’t know how fast we’d be, as it’s been almost two years since racing competitively. But we were fast!” Through dedication and agility, the Wayland-Weston Crew program maintained its team and continued to build strength throughout the pandemic, following safety protocols and training on and off the water. But the New England Championships marked an exhilarating return to competition for Wayland-Weston's high school rowers.

In a championship usually dominated by Community Rowing in Boston, Wayland-Weston brought some stiff competition to the 5-kilometer races. Among the first place finishers were Varsity Boys 2x (Lucian Mahoney, Aidan Moyazeni), Varsity Boys 2V 4+ (Alex DiCarlo as coxswain, Lucas Tang, Dan McDonald, T.J. Dahl, Aleksi Reczek), and Novice Girls 4+ (Alice Weeple as coxswain, Penelope Biddle, Addison Nugent, Gretta Santangelo, Maya Noyes).

Returning to competition on Oct 17 for the NH Championships George Dirth Memorial Regatta, a 3-mile head race that attracted 2000 rowers and 400 boats, Wayland-Weston won or placed in seven of the 14 races where they competed, and ultimately won the trophy for best overall performance, The New Hampshire Cup. The Varsity Girls 4+ (Max Markarian as coxswain, Quinn Gleason, Siena Flanigon, Natalia Serov, Megan O'Donnell) finished first in a field of 15 crews, winning The George Dirth Memorial Cup, awarded to the fastest boat in the Women’s Junior Four-with-Coxswain event. Other first place finishers were Varsity Girls 8+ (Max Markarian as coxswain, Quinn Gleason, Siena Flanigon, Natalia Serov, Ava Balukonis, Riley Kendall, Megan O'Donnell, Sophia Xie, Maddie Genis) and Novice Girls 4+ (Alice Weeple as coxswain, Penelope Biddle, Addison Nugent, Gretta Santangelo, Maya Noyes).

At the same time that the Wayland high school rowers were in New Hampshire on Sunday, Wayland-Weston also sent six middle school scullers to compete in the Head of the Quinobequin in Cambridge. All six completed the winding course successfully, in a field of 200 scullers, gaining helpful race experience in their development as rowers.

Next up for the team is Head of the Charles Regatta, the largest two-day regatta in the world, with over 600 clubs, 2,200 boats, and 12,000 rowers competing. Two Wayland-Weston boats--a Varsity Girls 8+ and a Varsity Boys 4+--will be racing in this world-famous event. If you are at the regatta on Sunday morning, look for fans in orange and maroon on the Harvard footbridge after 10AM and come cheer as our crews navigate one of the most famous rowing courses in the world.

Full regatta results and more info about Wayland-Weston Crew can be found at https://www.wwcrew.org/home