CYC Rowers Shine at Regionals

California Yacht Club had a strong showing at the 2019 U.S. Rowing Southwest Regionals on Lake Natoma last weekend in Sacramento. The CYC  Men’s Quad won in 6:23—four seconds faster than second-place Norcal. The quad had an early lead off the starting blocks and held its advantage for the full 2,000-meter race. The Quad’s lineup consisted of Pacific Christian junior and Palisafian Luke Holscher, Campbell Hall sophomore Peter Albrecht, Culver City High sophomore Keaton Lynch and Loyola High junior Harrison Zeigler.

Albrecht and Zeigler also raced the Men’s Lightweight double and received a silver medal with a time of 7:07, less than half a second slower than Long Beach Junior’s winning crew.

Topanga resident Theory Miller, a junior at Crossroads, took gold in the Men’s Singles race with a speedy time of 7:34. Theory also placed fourth in the men’s heavyweight double with partner David Tofer, a sophomore at Palisades High.

Harvard-Westake sophomore Alexandria Lange and Summit View senior Dominique Brattesani, who just received a scholarship to row for the University of San Diego, won the gold medal for the Women’s Double, winning by more than 11 seconds. Lange also placed second in the Women’s singles event.

Both the Men’s Novice Quad and Women’s Novice Quad took home gold medals at the regatta, culminating an undefeated season for novice coach Anna Wilczek. Novice tryouts are in September.

Varsity boats in the top three in each event quaify for Youth Nationals in Florida, June 6-9. Under Coach Craig Leeds, CYC will send seven Varsity rowers this year—impressive given this elite team based in Marina del Rey has a combined 32 varsity and novice rowers. Many of the high school teams across the country have as many as 150 rowers.

“Training all season can be intense, but the other guys on the team always seem to keep me going even when the training is tough,” said Holscher, the varsity stroke seat. “The CYC team is a great community and there are no other people I’d rather spend my early weekend mornings and weekday afternoons with.”

— LUKE  HOLSCHER