Beaver Creek Sculling Continues to Shine!
Beaver Creek Sculling (“BCS”) (the umbrella non-profit for Western Albemarle High School Crew) finished its fall head racing season with extraordinary performances at the High Point Autumn Festival Regatta in High Point, NC, the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, MA, the Head of the Schuylkill in Philadelphia, PA.
Lucas Farmer and Will Donovan at the 2021 Head of the Charles, Men’s Youth 2x event.
For the first time in its history, BCS had five boats accepted into the biggest race in the world. On a clear and crisp Sunday in October, hundreds of thousands of spectators stood along the Charles River to and watch 11,000 athletes from around the world compete in the 2021 Head of the Charles Regatta among them, five boats from Crozet, VA.
55 rowers are on the team this fall, but at the Head of the Charles Regatta, only a handful of BCS rowers were selected in this year’s lottery: one women’s youth double, two men’s youth doubles, and two women’s singles.
The race can be tricky for rowers who by the luck of the draw pull a high bow number having them start behind the pack. “Right off the bat you’re competing against boats ahead of you while navigating challenging turns of the river” said Senior Will Donovan, bowman of the BCS, and recent recruit to the Northeastern rowing team. This can be particularly difficult for fast crews such as Beaver Creek boats that inevitably will pass 10+ boats during the race.
Part of the draw for the Regatta lies in the sheer number of spectators that line the riverbanks and the six bridges rowers need to pass through to make it to the finish line. Juniors Cal Dagner and Ryan Kennedy both echoed their excitement at being in attendance with the number of competitors but also being present alongside elite collegiate and Olympic rowers. “Take our presence at Youth Nationals and multiply it by 1000, that’s how many spectators are around [at the Charles]. It is a pretty cool viewpoint from the river,” said Kennedy and Dagner.
Lucas Farmer and Will Donovan came in 11th and Jack Mehnert and Ryan Kennedy came in 31st in the Men’s Youth Double event finishing 2:57 and 3:04 off the lead boat. Cal Dagner came in 21st (U17 entry) and Greta Slaats came in 39th in the Women’s Youth Single event, finishing 3:45 and 4:00 off the lead boat. Lydia Pelton and Delaney Young finished 28th in the Women’s Youth Double event, finishing 3:30 off the lead boat.
The ability to send these boats to Head of the Charles should not be overshadowed by the impressive work of the entire squad at fall regional regattas. The crew began the fall in High Point, North Carolina at the High Point Autumn Rowing Festival with 13 entries and brought home seven gold medals in the Women’s U17 4x, the Men’s 4x, the Men’s 1x, the Men’s 2x, and the Men’s U17 4x and one silver in the women’s 2x.
At the Head of the Schuylkill, with over 260 Clubs entered in events and 40,000 spectators watching, BCS locked in one silver in the Men’s 2x and one bronze in the Women’s Novice 4x.
Head Coach Craig Redinger noted, “It may actually have been the difficulties ad restrictions with which our team had to deal in the last 18 months that have motivated our Rowers. They are working harder, enjoying the sport more, getting every better and turning in extraordinary performances; I am proud of every one of them and their accomplishments.”
The team will take a month-long break before resuming winter training in preparation for the spring season.
