It is one of the most exciting times of the year in the world of youth rowing. Join High Point Rowing Club’s youth rowing crew this Fall for the pulsating action of North Carolina’s high school and middle school boat racing.
High School Rowing is open to boys and girls entering Grade 9-12 this Fall at any Triad area high school. See the Middle School link for details of that program.
The Autumn rowing season is August 19 through to November 16. Registered participants may begin on August 13 and row the week prior to the official start date at no additional charge.
Middle school participants will row Monday and Thursday from 4:30pm to 6:00pm and Saturday morning 9:00-11am.
While all practices are optional, rowing is much like life in that what you put in is often what you get out.
Included in the Fall is a free Sneak Peek Week will be 7:15 am – 9am from August 12 – 17. All rowers regardless of age and skill level are encouraged to participate in the pre-season. (there is no additional charge for this rowing) After that, rowing will take place Monday though Friday 4:30pm to 6:00pm and on Saturday morning 9-11am. During the week students driving from greater distances can arrive at 4:35pm.
Please email director Gene Kininmonth at contact@highpointrowing.com to for questions about joining the team. Bring your waiver and swim form signed by a parent to your first practice session. See the Registration page for these forms and the link to register and pay online for the Fall season.
High Point’s youth eight at the Clemson Sprints regatta in South Carolina.
Try out youth indoor rowing. Free for a whole week – this is ideal for true beginners!
If you are in grades 6-12 at any Triad area school, this is your chance to give indoor rowing a try with our fun youth rowing squad. It is easy and will prepare you for real rowing in racing boats when we hit the water on Oak Hollow Lake in March!
This Sneak Peek Week opportunity is for students who have never tried rowing before. It is the perfect way to try a new sport to see if it is for you. Rowing is a big sport where everyone races – there are no bench warmers and the kids really develop strong friendships and have fun.
Students must bring the waiver signed by a parent. These forms can be downloaded on the Registration page.
Also bring the following: • running shoes and wear general sporting attire • water bottle
Still have questions? See our Rowing FAQs page or email our coach, Gene, at contact@highpointrowing.com or call him at (336) 257-9009.
Watching movies makes for a fun way to train in a group on the rowing machines, known as ‘ergs.’
Oak Hollow Lake, High Point, NC – High Point’s girls varsity eight came from behind to earn a crosstown victory over rival Greensboro Crew on Saturday.
Both teams should have been racing as Triad United at the Head of the James in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday. That is, until Hurricane Michael struck with such heavy rainfall the James River was flooded and the regatta was cancelled.
So, High Point and Greensboro made the most of the situation with a cross-town duel.
“This was a case of making the best of a disappointing situation,” said High Point coach Gene Kininmonth. “The rowers had been looking forward to the James but this was not a bad consolation, with each squad earning their share of wins.”
High Point’s varsity girls eight of Reagan Labiak, Charlotte Curri, Kinkead Crotts, Junior OGnovich, Natalie Earnhardt, Ashley Walker, Kay Millikan, Elizabeth Richards, and Ava Kanzler earned a crosstown victory over Greensboro Crew on Oak Hollow Lake on Saturday.
Although Hurricane Michael had well and truly passed through the Triad by Saturday, its after effects were still evident. Many families were still without power over the weekend and had left town, which resulted in both squads operating on limited rosters.
“This was a great opportunity for girls who would normally not be in the varsity eight to get their opportunity,” said Gene. “Ava Kanzler has only been rowing a few months and Elizabeth Richards was elevated from the middle school squad. They both performed outstandingly today.”
The roster impact of Hurricane Michael was most pronounced on the boys squad. High Point did not have enough rowers to boat a varsity eight so the duel against Greensboro Crew was battled in coxed fours instead.
Greensboro prevailed with a lead from start to finish. High Point finished second with a Greensboro ‘B’ boat in third.
The final race of the morning was between middle school eights….which were actually crewed by only 6 rowers in each boat due to limited attendance. After a hard fought battle that saw the lead change constantly, Greensboro finally took home the win albeit with some high school rowers on board.
Congratulations all rowers for both races won and battles hard fought!
Greensboro Crew’s women’s varsity eight returns to shore at the cross-town boat races on Saturday morning.
High Point, NC – Over 500 rowers and thousands of supporters ascended on Oak Hollow Lake’s Festival park on Saturday for the 2018 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival.
Rowers competed in a number of classes including collegiate, youth, and adult (Masters) categories on a winding 5,000 meter race course ‘Round the Duck’ on Oak Hollow Lake. In all 181 boats raced in a time trial format.
UNC Chapel Hill dominated the men’s collegiate blue ribbon eights event in a time of 15 minutes 31 seconds and almost two minutes faster than High Point University and NC State.
NC State won the women’s collegiate eights race in a time of 20 minutes 15 seconds ahead of HPU with two Davidson College entries rounding out the field.
In youth racing, Raleigh’s Triangle Rowing Club showed early fall speed to win both the men’s and women’s eights races. Triangle also won the women’s youth coxed fours race while Eastern Tennessee won the men’s coxed fours race.
High Point rowers combined with Greensboro Crew to race as Triad United Rowing Association (TURA) to win both the men’s and women’s youth quad sculls, double sculls, and women’s open pairs events.
In the prestigious men’s Open Single Sculls race, Davidson College’s Samuel Lindsay narrowly beat out United States national team rower Jack Devlin of Potomac Boat Club. Shawn Stephenson of Raleigh Rowing Center rounded out the medals.
The High Point Autumn Rowing Festival has seen four years of continued growth and organizers say it is now at capacity due to the limitations of dock space. “We could not advertise the event in any way this year,” says race founder Gene Kininmonth, who also heads up High Point Rowing Club, the host organization for the event. “We didn’t even send out a reminder email to clubs. They just found our website and signed up.”
Kininmonth says that without additional dock space next year there will be a cap on entries. “You never want to turn anyone away from coming to High Point but we just cannot manage the flow of boats launching and returning to shore. With a floating dock we could triple the size of the regatta.”
Spectators pack into Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake for the 2018 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival.
High Point’s Charlotte Curri and Junior Ognovich are all smiles after winning the women’s youth double sculls race at the 2018 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival.
High Point’s Charlotte Curri, Junior Ognovich, Lindsay York, and Kinkead Crotts cross the line to win the quadsculls event at the 2018 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival.
Greensboro’s Kate Messick and Grace Denenny are cheered by supporters after winning the women’s open pairs event at the 2018 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival.
Looking back from the finish line dock at the 2018 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival.
Oak Hollow Lake, High Point, NC – Race organizers expect to welcome over 600 rowers and thousands of spectators from across the southeast region of the United States in late September for the 2018 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival. The date of the event has been set for Saturday, September 29, 2018.
Last year the event received a record 153 entries of boats to race the winding 5,000 meter course on Oak Hollow Lake.
“We anticipate a new record for the 2018 Autumn Rowing Festival,” says High Point Rowing Club founder Gene Kininmonth. “Participation in rowing continues to explode in North Carolina. High Point is at the epicenter of this remarkable growth.”
The regatta is open to the general public and admission is free.
Rowers are expected to travel from as far away as Annapolis, Maryland and Atlanta, Georgia for the regatta.
The festival has attracted a number of marquis college names in the past, including local favorite High Point University, as well as NC State, Wake Forest, and Davidson College. In 2017 race organizers hope to entice powerhouse programs from the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Duke University.
Also competing are Masters (adult) and youth programs. In 2017 rowing programs from Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlotte and Asheville were represented among others.
Round the Duck
Boat racing at the rowing festival is a 5,000 meter time-trial. Crews will line up their sleek rowing shells at the Skeet Club Bridge end of Oak Hollow Lake and then race out to the center of the lake where they will row a 180 degree turn “Round the Duck” back to the main channel before turning toward the finish line at Johnson Street Bridge.
That’s right. There’s a duck. A giant bright yellow inflatable duck. Race officials decline to disclose the actual size of the duck but it clearly dwarfs the rowers on the water.
Racing begins at 9:20am and runs through 3:30pm. Following the races the duck will return to shore for children’s photographs.
Use 1841 Eastchester Drive, High Point for GPS directions to Festival Park.
MEDIA: PRESS INFORMATION Media Center
Media headquarters for the 2018 Rowing Festival will be the Media Center at Oak Hollow Lake. The Media Center is equipped with Wi-Fi access. The Media Center will also accommodate interviews at the conclusion of each event. Race winners will be brought to the interview area for media access. Limited parking is available for daily print, online and television media (advance notice requested). All television stations that will be bringing in satellite trucks should call Gene Kininmonth (office: 336-257-9009) to arrange for vehicle access.
Photographers
Photographers wishing to obtain action shots on the racecourse may be accommodated in a media boat on a first-come, first-served basis. The media boat will be restricted to designated sections of the course and cannot “race” to keep pace with competing boats. Please arrive at the Media Center 60 minutes before you need to be on the water.
The High Point-Greensboro Rowing Club will celebrate its 6th birthday on Saturday, September 8 with a Bridge to Bridge Time Trial for club members followed by a potluck breakfast at Oak Hollow Lake. Joining the festivities for the first time will be rowers from the newly formed Winston Salem Rowing Club.
Students will be boated by their class year and masters by age.
Families and friends are invited to join the rowers for the potluck brunch after the boat races.
The club has much to celebrate after 6 years, with a record number of rowers joining the Masters program for adults and the scholastic program for students from public and private schools across the Triad.
Last year 11 eight-man crews as well as some smaller boats lined the start of the race course at Skeet Club Bridge to race the full extent of Oak Hollow Lake to Johnson Street Bridge and club founder Gene Kininmonth predicts there could be even more crews this year.
All rowers participating in the Crew’s 6th Anniversary Boat Races should arrive at Oak Hollow Lake by 7:30am and be dressed appropriately for the weather on the day. Rowers and families should park on the grass behind the sailboats. A Signup Genius email will be sent to all members and parents with details of the potluck.
Boys and girls attending any Triad area school (Grade 6 -12) are eligible to join the team. No experience necessary. Email Coach Gene contact@highpointrowing.com or see the Registration page for details.
Whether you are in grade 7 in middle school or a high school Junior, you may be looking for a new sport . If so, then this is your chance to give rowing a try for free. Five days of rowing at Oak Hollow Lake – you can come to one practice or all five.
You need to be able to swim with confidence for safety reasons.
Just register and show up. It is that easy!
This summer up to 40 high school and middle school students will be part of our new Winston Salem rowing program at Oak Hollow Lake training alongside the rowers from High Point Rowing Club. This Sneak Peek will give you a head start on learning about rowing to see if the sport is for you.
No experience necessary but you must be able to swim as a safety precaution if you join the team. Participants must be at least 12 years of age.
WHAT? Sneak Peek Week is one week of rowing, where students will learn the technique needed for rowing in racing boats on the water.
WHEN? 4:30pm to 6pm on Monday, June 4 though Friday June 8.
WHERE? Oak Hollow Lake: 3700 Waterview Road, High Point, NC.
COST? FREE!
Also, be sure to have a parent sign the waiver and swim form certifying that you can swim. These can be downloaded on this page. Bring these forms with you.
Also bring the following:
• wear flip flops (not sneakers) because you feet do get wet and normal athletic attire
• water bottle
Questions? Just email Coach Gene at contact@wsrowing.com
High Point varsity rowers Will Hundley, Harry Capizzi, William Scarpa III, and Govind Harish won bronze in the youth varsity quad sculls event at the 2017 Head of the South.
Oak Hollow Lake – High Point youth rowers could be forgiven if they were a little more subdued than typical as they celebrated the season and gave a send of to high school senior Govind Harish at the annual Spring Crew Banquet last night.
Normally on this special occasion the rowers would go out for one last short row in a lineup they had formed special bonds with during the racing season.
But with no York Cup challenges on the books for 2017-18, two eights were sent out to race a bridge to bridge from Skeet Club to Johnson Street, with the winner earning the coveted York Cup.
James Li, Junior Ognovich, Jacob Messick, Matthew Hronich, Charlotte Curri (coxswain), Ashley Walker, Emily Winberg, Harry Capizzi, and Lindsay York (missing) were the York Cup winners for 2017-18.
The York Cup is named in honor of High Point crew philanthropists Caren and Greg York. It is a club bonding race and crews challenging for the York Cup must be comprised of the following athletes:
1.) All members of the crew must be currently enrolled in high school or middle school. (the Summer following your senior year makes you ineligible!)
2.) At least two and no more than four male rowers in the boat. A coxswain may be a fifth male member of the crew.
3.) At least four of the rowers must be in their novice year, freshmen, or in middle school.
Congratulations James Li, Junior Ognovich, Jacob Messick, Matthew Hronich, Ashlet Walker, Emily Winber, Harry Capizzi, Lindsay York and coxswain Charlotte Curri for your York Cup victory!
William Scarpa III opened the formal proceedings of evening with a welcome.
Coach Gene Kininmonth then welcomed back the team’s alumni Maddie Mullins and Kyle Koval. Both Maddie and Kyle are home for the summer from college and will be assisting High Point and Greensboro’s rowing programs with coaching over the summer.
Gene then thanked the club’s coaches Paul Herger and Katie Eliades for their service to the rowers and all the parents and particularly Beth Heer, the team’s parent liaison, for all the support of the club throughout the season.
It was then on to the awards presentation, which were presented accordingly:
Female Rower of the Year
Jackie Junior Ognovich
Male Rower of the Year
William Hundley
Most Improved Female Rower
Kinkead Crotts
Most Improved Male Rower
Jacob Messick
Middle School MVP – Female
Natalie Earnhardt
Middle School MVP – Male
Charles Richards
Then it was time to pay tribute to the club’s lone graduating senior, Govind Harish.
Govind enthralled the rowers with a list of superlatives for each of them. He then continued the tradition of handing down shirts to a returning member of the club. Govind had been handed down his jersey from Mac Warwick, a 2017 graduate. “Mac was a beast both in personality and rowing presence,” said Govind. “And I wanted to pass this shirt on to someone who encapsulates this and so I am handing it down to William Hundley.”
Govind then thanked his fellow rowers and coaches for “everything we have been a part of these past 5 years I have been on the club.”
Coach Gene then thanked Govind for his years contributions to the High Point crew. “Many of you will stay in touch with each other throughout your lives. You won’t remember each other for what races you may have won. You will remember your crew mates for how hard they tried, for having your back, for stepping up when needed. And this is how we will especially remember Govind Harish in this club”
And then it was over to the dock for the traditional club photo.
Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake, – High Point will host the North Carolina Youth Rowing State Championships at Festival Park on Oak Hollow Lake on Saturday.
This is the second annual North Carolina state championship for youth rowing. Over 400 high school and middle school rowers from the top rowing clubs across the state will compete in 39 different boat classes. Rowers will come in from Asheville, Belmont, Charlotte, Jordan Lake and Raleigh to face off against home town crews from High Point and Greensboro.
The six clubs have entered 118 boats in this year’s event, an increase of almost 50% from last year reflecting the growth in the sport.
High Point’s Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake was unanimously selected by coaches as the venue for its central location and the local organizing committee’s proven success at hosting regional rowing events.
Festival Park offers spectators unobstructed views of the entire 1,500 meter race course from an elevated location.
Festival Park on Oak Hollow Lake was unanimously selected by coaches as the venue for the 2017 North Carolina Youth Rowing State Championships.
High Point and Greensboro will be racing as HPG Rowing, the “racing umbrella” for the two clubs foundered by High Point local Gene Kininmonth.
Whilst rowing is one of the oldest sports in America, it is still very new in the Tar Heel state. “With just six youth rowing clubs, North Carolina is still very much in the pioneering phase for this sport,” says High Point club founder Gene Kininmonth. “This presents us with lots of opportunities but also a lot of challenges when folks in our local communities are not familiar with rowing.”
Here is a look at the beauty of the sport of rowing and High Point’s Oak Hollow Lake in video:
High Point Rowing Club’s youth squad will open its 2018 season on the 1996 Olympic race course at the John Hunter Regatta in Gainesville, GA this weekend.
Combining with Greensboro rowers the squad will race as HPG Rowing and is expected to be competitive in a number of key events.
“High Point rowers will have a sculling focus on Sunday while Greensboro will focus on the sweep events,” says head coach Gene Kininmonth.
The team’s U17 squad will open racing in the morning in the sweep events. HPG has crews entered in the boys and girls U17 eights and four-oared events.
In the sculling events High Point will be well represented in the girls and boys single sculls events by Arte Blythe and William Hundley.
“We also have two extremely strong women’s quad sculls,” says Kininmonth. “These scullers have all put in so much work and both crews are capable of winning their races on Sunday. Selecting the fastest combination has been the biggest challenge.”
On the boys sculling squad William Hundley is combining with Harry Capizzi in the double scull and those two will also combine with Govind Harish and William Scarpa III in the quad scull later in the day.
High Point varsity rowers Will Hundley, Harry Capizzi, William Scarpa III, and Govind Harish won bronze in the youth varsity quad sculls event at the 2017 Head of the South.
Alexandria, Virginia – Three High Point youth rowers earned top ten results at the World Indoor Rowing Championships today.
2527 competitors from 23 nations raced over the weekend in the two-day international rowing event.
Junior Ognovich, Ainsley Fox, and Molly Hilemn all earned top 10 results in deep international fields in each of their junior age classes. The results were also personal best results for the three rowers over the 2000m distance adding to their satisfaction.
William Hundley also represented High Point Rowing Club in Alexandria, finishing in 15th place out of 79 rowers in the Junior 17 and under lightweight event. He covered the 2,000 meter distance in a personal best time of 6 minutes 55.4 seconds.
HIgh Point rowers Ainsley Fox, William Hundley, Molly Hilemn, and Junior Ognovich all broke personal records at the 2018 World Indoor Rowing Championships.
Junior Ognovich, a junior at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, finished 4th in the Women’s Junior category for 18 year olds. Racing against 60 other rowers, Junior earned her 4th place result with the time of 7 minutes 22.4 seconds. Coincidentally, her older sister Katie Ognovich recorded the exact time in February of her junior year to win the 2013 Durham Indoor Rowing Championships. Katie is now a senior on the women’s rowing team at the University of Oklahoma.
Ainsley Fox earned High Point’s next top 10 finish. Racing against 47 competitors in the women’s junior lightweight class for 17 year olds, Ainsley completed the 2,000 meter distance in 7 minutes 52.2 seconds to finish in 5th place.
Molly Hilemn raced in the women’s 16 year old junior competition in Alexandria. Her 8th place finish against 77 other competitors was another tribute to her hard work throughout the winter months.
High Point head coach Gene Kininmonth says the results are awesome for the club and a testament to the hard work each of the rowers has put in. “Each of them has truly taken ownership of their path in this sport,” says Kininmonth. “They can be proud of their results this weekend.”
Congratulations High Point youth rowers!
High Point Rowing Club will host a new round of Learn to Row classes in early March and the team is hoping more middle school and high school students from years 9-12 will be inspired to join.
March 12-16 (4:30pm – 6pm each day) – Sneak Peek Week
Learn to Row ($20 for the week for new students)
Oak Hollow Lake – 3700 Waterview Road in High Point.
Students and parents interested in learning more about the program should email contact@highpointrowing.com
Junior Ognovich finished in 4th place in the women’s 18 and under event at the 2018 World Indoor Rowing Championships.
William Hundley earned a top 15 ranking with a personal best time at the 2018 World Indoor Rowing Championships.
Ainsley Fox finished 4th at the World Indoor Rowing Championships for the 17 and under lightweight category.
Molly Hilemn places 8th out of 77 rowers at the 2018 World Indoor Rowing Championships.
2017 will be remembered fondly as another boom year for High Point Rowing Club. We hosted the inaugural North Carolina State Championships, won our first regional youth title and witnessed our rowers in finals at national championships for the first time.
Club Founder Gene Kininmonth says from start to finish there were many wonderful moments this past year. “Since the formation of the club in 2012, each year at this time I actually worry about how we can improve things even more in the new year. Thanks to our amazing rowers and their families we continue to see new high water marks.”
We kicked off the year in Virginia with the MidAtlantic Erg Sprints where Junior Ognovich, Molly Hilemn and Matthew Hronich each won medals in their age class.
Junior Ognovich, Morgan Epling, and Molly HIlemn are all smiles at the 2017 Mid Atlantic Erg Sprints in Alexandria, VA on Saturday.
Our youth and masters were then out in force in late February for the High Point hosted annual 124C Erg Sprints in Jamestown. This annual indoor rowing event continues to attract rowers from across the region.
Following 124C’s our rowers were ready to once again put their erging abilities to good use, this time for the annual Ergathon. This important fundraising campaign saw our rowers and Greensboro Crew divided into three groups to race 100 kilometers. The club’s rowers and families raised well over $20,000 to fund upgrades to the fleet of boats and equipment.
In early March the crews were eager to return to the water and it wasn’t long before we hosted the US Naval Academy women’s rowing program at Oak Hollow Lake for that team’s spring break training. Navy feel right at home in High Point – so much so that this year they invited Army to race them right here on our home waters of Oak Hollow Lake in a historic first ever duel. The inaugural Army – Navy Boat Race was held at Festival Park with Navy sweeping the regatta.
High Point Rowing Club hosted Navy Women’s Crew to a potluck feast in its Jamestown Erg Room during the Midshipmen’s spring training camp.
Two Navy Women’s Crews raced Army in the two programs’ historic first ever encounter on Saturday, March 18, 2017 on Oak Hollow Lake in High Point, NC.
While returning to the water was a refreshing change for the rowers it wasn’t without challenges for the ranks of our coaches, who were now challenged with also staffing the new team of Greensboro Crew rowers at Lake Brandt. With head coach Gene Kininmonth dividing his time between the two cities each week, a huge responsibility was placed on the High Point youth varsity rowers to step up and maintain standards whilst not under his watchful eye.
“The irony is that most of our rowers performed better when left alone,” says Gene looking back. “They took ownership of the process and this led to even greater success for them.”
High Point Hosts Inaugural North Carolina State Youth Championships
Our volunteers, led by Mandy Greene and Girl Jeanne MacPherson, hosted the inaugural North Carolina Youth Rowing State Championships in April, which drew hundreds of rowers and thousands of spectators to High Point.
Coaches from across the state unanimously voted High Point’s Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake as the championship venue for its central location and the local organizing committee’s proven success at hosting regional rowing events.
Racing as HPG Rowing to reflect the addition of the Greensboro chapter of the organization, High Point/Greensboro rowers cleaned up in the Olympic class of sculling events and ultimately won 7 out of the 14 state titles it entered.
Cheers to us!
Festival Park on Oak Hollow Lake was unanimously selected by coaches as the venue for the 2017 North Carolina Youth Rowing State Championships.
Success at the state championships led to the club earning its first ever medals at the USRowing Southeast Regional Championships. Racing on the Olympic rowing course at Lake Lanier just outside of Atlanta, Maddie Mullins and Junior Ognovich struck gold in the women’s pair. Hours later Ainsley Fox, Lindsay York, Molly Hilemn, and Charlotte Curri won bronze in the women’s Under 17 quad sculls final.
Winning the regional championship qualified Maddie and Junior for the USRowing Youth National Championships – another first for our club. “This was in itself an incredible achievement for Maddie and Junior,” says Coach Gene. “But they then proved that they and their club belonged at the national championships.”
This year’s youth national championships were held in Sarasota, Florida and began with a time trial to seed the top 12 crews and dismiss the remaining. Maddie and Junior finished with the 6th fastest time and from there qualified for the final with a top 3 finish in the semi final round. By the time racing was complete High Point’s finest were ranked sixth in the nation!
High Point’s ‘Fab Five’ crew of Kristen Bremer, Jackie King, Erica Reisberger, Shelli York, and Morgan Epling won silver at the Dogwood Masters Regatta in Oak Ridge, TN.
High Points Masters enjoyed racing and socializing over the summer at the Ist annual Staygatta.
High Point’s masters rowed to a new standard as well in 2017, winning silver in the women’s coxed four at the Dogwood masters Championships and then racing at the Masters National Championships.
With the change of season from Summer to Autumn, the 5th Anniversary Row & Potluck showed off the growth of the club with the addition of Greensboro Crew. Rowers from both chapters united for an exhibition Row and races by class year for youth and age by decade for the Masters. We like to think of Oak Hollow Lake as beautiful one day, perfect the next. And the 5th Anniversary Row was no exception.
High Point and Greensboro again united in September, this time for the High Point Autumn Rowing Festival. A record 500 rowers and an estimated 1,500 spectators again gathered at Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake.
But this year’s regatta will be most remembered for the brisk 15 mile per hour winds at the start of racing, which lifted the regatta’s iconic giant inflated rubber duck from its anchors and sent it flying down the lake.
Mayhem ensued, as the first round of crews, fearing possible disqualification for not ’rounding the duck’, began chasing the duck down the lake at full speed.
The giant duck soon ended up on land by Centennial Avenue and rowers were directed back on the race course. HPG led the day with the most gold medals won.
High Point closed out the racing season with historic performances at the Head of the South, winning gold and bronze in the women’s quad sculls, gold in the youth lightweight single sculls event, bronze in the men’s quad sculls, women’s novice eight and U16 mixed youth eight and women’s masters eights. The squad also won two silvers in the middle school eight and fours event.
High Point quad scullers Charlotte Curri, Ainsley Fox, Ashley Walker, and Junior OGnovich with Kira Grinko (center) widow of the late great sculling coach Igor Grinko, who coached the United States to silver at the 1996 Olympic Games. The High Point scullers were presented with the Igor Grinko plate for posting the fastest women’s sculling time at the 2017 Head of the South.
Molly Hilemn, Lindsay York, Anna Lewis, and Emily Winberg showed off the depth of the High Point women’s sculling squad with a bronze medal finish at the 2017 Head of the South.
High Point varsity rowers Will Hundley, Harry Capizzi, William Scarpa III, and Govind Harish won bronze in the youth varsity quad sculls event at the 2017 Head of the South.
Nothing caps off the racing season better than the Celebration of Rowing banquet and this year’s gala, chaired by Jackie King at Sedgefield Country Club, lived up to reputation. High Point prides itself on inviting legendary guest speakers for the dinner and this year Jason Read wowed guests with his story of tragedy to triumph.
A volunteer rescue squad fire chief from the age of 21, Read received the call to Ground Zero on the morning of September 11, 2001 shortly after the first plane hit the World Trade Center in New York.
Just three years later Jason Read represented his country again, bringing home the Olympic gold as part of the men’s eight rowing crew at the 2004 Athens games.
911 Hero and Athens Olympic gold medalist Jason Read gave the keynote address at the 2017 Celebration of Rowing banquet.
But the year 2017 wasn’t over yet. In December the good times continued with two more social events, the Masters Mingle and Holiday Youth Dance.
We have much to be grateful for at High Point Rowing Club – not least is our wonderful rowing members. 2017 was certainly a year to remember for High Point rowers for the wonderful bonds of friendship and fast rowing by our crews – may there be many more!
The Erg Room at 124C has become more than just a place for working out. In December it was the venue for the Masters’ Mingle and Youth Holiday Dance.
Greensboro, North Carolina – American hero and Olympic gold medal winning rower Jason Read gave the keynote address at the 2017 Celebration of Rowing banquet held at Sedgefield Country Club on Saturday night and he did not disappoint.
Almost 200 rowers, parents and friends from across the Triad gathered into the Sedgefield Country Club ballroom for what has quickly become the most prestigious social event on the rowing calendar.
High Point Masters rower ‘Kiwi Mike’ Hitchcock, serving as Master of Ceremonies, opened the evening by introducing Greensboro youth rower Benjamin Huitt to give the invocation.
After enjoying a delicious feast, Kiwi Mike then returned to the podium to begin the formal ceremonies, which began with High Point rower Charlotte Curri, who recited “The Oarsman’s Poem” by legendary rowing coach Steve Fairbairn.
Mary Hollingsworth then presented the High Point Parent of the Year award to Conni Curri for her service to the crew. Greensboro parent Julie Higgins then presented the Greensboro Parent of the Year award to Sara Nichols.
Jackie King, last year’s Masters MVP winner and this year’s chair of the Celebration of Rowing banquet, was then invited to the podium to introduce the 2017 recipient – ‘Girl Jeanne’ MacPherson. Congratulations Girl Jeanne – Masters Rower of the Year! Unfortunately, Jeanne could not be at the banquet due to work commitments.
Greensboro coach and 2004 Olympian Lisa Schlenker then talked about the progress of Greensboro Crew and concluded by presenting the Katherine Dickson Award for youth service to Greensboro Crew to MaryBlake Murphy.
Maddie Mullins then presented the Caroline Howard Cup for youth service to High Point Rowing Club to Junior Ognovich. Words can not do justice to the inspiration that Maddie filled the ball room with her theme of excellence and giving to your team mates.
Jason Read was then introduced to guests by club founder and High Point Coach Gene Kininmonth, who shared his own personal experience of 911: “As we wondered how we would flee this madness, elsewhere a small number of others were heading straight for it….driving directly into this abyss with full expectations in that moment that the horror would only get worse. Jason Read was one of those few. I am looking forward to hearing Jason’s story from tragedy to triumph this evening.”
And our keynote speaker did not disappoint.
A volunteer rescue squad fire chief from the age of 21, Read received the call to Ground Zero on the morning of September 11, 2001 shortly after the first plane hit the World Trade Center in New York.
Just three years later Jason Read represented his country again, bringing home the Olympic gold as part of the men’s eight rowing crew at the 2004 Athens games.
After his speech, which received a standing ovation from the 200 guests, rowers and parents alike approached the rowing legend to thank him for sharing his story of inspiration.
911 Hero and Athens Olympic gold medalist Jason Read gave the keynote address at the 2017 Celebration of Rowing banquet.
JR continues a banquet tradition of introducing world renowned rowing leaders to the Triad. Rowing Blazers author and archaeologist, Jack Carlson spoke in 2016, while cutting edge rowing boat maker Misha Joukowsky spoke in 2015. Double Olympic gold medalist Caroline Lind was the 2014 guest speaker.
Mary Hollingsworth presented the High Point parent of the year award to Connie Curri at the 2017 Celebration of Rowing banquet.
Julie Higgins presented the Greensboro Crew Parent of the Year award to Sara Nichols (Ella’s mum) at the 2017 Celebration of Rowing banquet.
Former High Point Masters MVP’s Erin Sanders, Mandy Greene, Jackie King, and her daughter Alexis holding the MVP trophy and a camera picture of 2017 MVP Girl Jeanne MacPherson.
Greensboro coach Lisa Schlenker (center) presented the Katherine Crowley Dickson award for youth service to MaryBlake Murphy (right)
Maddie Mullins presented the Caroline Howard Cup for 2017 to Junior Ognovich at the Celebration of Rowing banquet.
Greensboro Sports Commission CEO Kim Strable, with his wife Cindy and Olympic champion Jason Read.
Jamie Atkinson is all smiles at the Celebration of Rowing banquet with fellow rowers Katie Todd and Sidney Briggs.
Greensboro Crew oarsmen were out in force at the 2017 Celebration of Rowing banquet to meet 911 hero and Olympic gold medalist, Jason Read. High Point rowers Lindsay York and Giacomo Arnaboldi at the 2017 Celebration of Rowing banquet.
Smiling in Sarasota: Junior Ognovich and Maddie Mullins enjoyed a successful outing on Day One at the 2017 USRowing Youth National Championships.
Sarasota, Florida – High Point rowers Maddie Mullins and Junior Ognovich finished with the sixth fastest time in the initial time trial of the women’s pair on Day One at the USRowing Youth National Championships.
The result places them among the top 12 crews from the field which will race in the semi final round on Saturday morning. The fastest six boats in the semi final round will then race in the grand final on Sunday.
“This was an emotional part of the process,” said High Point coach Gene Kininmonth after the morning time trial. “For our club, competing at the national championships for the first time, you’re way out of your comfort zone coming in because it is all new territory and there are so many crews from all across the country you have never raced before. So today’s result was both a relief and reaffirming for all of us.”
Saturday’s semi-final race will take place at 9:12 am.
Highly polished silver awards are now a Spring Crew Banquet tradition thanks to the generous philanthropic support of the Club’s Patron Jackie King.
High Point Rowing Club’s youth rowers celebrated the end of spring with coaches and parents at the annual Crew Banquet at Oak Hollow Lake on Monday evening.
Connie Curri, who is Charlotte’s mum and parent liaison to the team, thanked parents of the rowers for their generous support of the team, in particular those who hosted the food tables at all the crew regattas, the ‘Duck Committee’ of fathers, who ran the on water activities of the club’s regattas, and the group of mothers, who managed the timing systems and greatly assisted crews in launching and returning the boats to shore at home regattas. Connie then passed the baton of parent liaison to Sierra’s mum Beth Heer for the 2017-18 season.
“This is always my favorite annual rowing event of the year,” said coach Gene Kininmonth following a delicious pot luck feast. “We are here this evening to celebrate victories won, battles hard fought, and to send off three incredible high school seniors.”
Coach Gene thanked Jaclyn Hronich, Paul Herger, Mandy Greene, and Connie Curri for their service as coaches to the Crew and then welcomed the team’s alumni, Katie Ognovich ’14, Addy Millsap ’15, Andrew Wright ’15, Adam Alt ’16, and Kyle Koval ’16, who had returned to the crew for the evening.
Then it was time to pay tribute to the rowers themselves.
“We have many victories to celebrate tonight,” said Gene. “We opened our Spring season at the Clemson Sprints, where we won countless medals before returning to High Point for the State Championships where our club won 7 state championships.”
“To add to this success, our rowers won bronze in the women’s U17 quadsculls event and gold in the women’s pair event at USRowing’s Southeast regional Championships in Georgia. This remarkable win by Maddie Mullins and Junior Ognovich was a first for High Point Rowing Club.”
Gene then presented The York Cup to the crew that recorded the fastest time from Skeet Club bridge to Johnson Street bridge during the previous twelve months. The York Cup crew of 2017 was coxswain Charlotte Curri, stroke Ainsley Fox, Molly Hilemn, William Hundley, Nick Rieker, Matthew Hronich, Jake Bryant, Sierra Heer, Kinkead Crotts. The crew set a time of 16 minutes 38 seconds.
The 2017 York Cup Crew with their silver awards at the Crew Banquet at Oak Hollow Lake.
Coach Gene then presented the club’s Rower of the Year awards to Charles York and Maddie Mullins, who themselves then presented individual awards to rowers for ‘Middle School MVP’, ‘Most Improved’, and ‘Rookie of the Year’.
The most important part of the ceremonies then arrived as seniors Charles York, Maddie Mullins, and Lizzy Knorrwere honored and thanked for their service to the crew. The evening then took an emotional turn with each senior passing on their jersey to a younger rower before reflecting on their personal rowing experiences with High Point Rowing Club.
Of course, no Crew Banquet would be completed until the traditional crew photo on the dock was taken.
2017 HPRC Seniors Charles York, Maddie Mullins, and Lizzy Knorr with their silver awards at the Crew Banquet at Oak Hollow Lake.
HPRC rowers William Hundley and Molly Hilemn won awards for ‘Most Improved’ at the 2017 Crew Banquet.
Matthew Hronich and Charlotte Curri won awards for Middle school MVPs at the 2017 HPRC Crew Banquet.
Benjamin Huitt was presented with the ‘Rookie of the Year’ award at High Point Rowing Club’s 2017 Crew Banquet.
Rowers assemble on the dock at Oak Hollow Lake for the traditional team photo at the spring Crew Banquet.
Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake, – High Point Rowing Club will host the North Carolina Youth Rowing State Championships on April 22, 2017, the regatta committee co-chairs Jeanne MacPherson and Mandy Greene are pleased to announce.
This will be the first ever state championship for youth rowing in North Carolina, which is the result of discussions among the head coaches of North Carolina’s premier rowing clubs: Ashevile Youth Rowing, Belmont Rowing Club, Charlotte Youth Rowing, High Point Rowing Club, and Triangle Rowing Club.
High Point’s Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake was unanimously selected by coaches as the venue for its central location and the local organizing committee’s proven success at hosting regional rowing events. In 2016 High Point hosted two spring regattas and also the High Point Autumn Rowing Festival on Oak Hollow Lake.
Festival Park offers spectators unobstructed views of the entire 1,500 meter race course from an elevated location.
Festival Park on Oak Hollow Lake was unanimously selected by coaches as the venue for the 2017 North Carolina Youth Rowing State Championships.
In addition to Asheville, Charlotte, Triangle, Belmont, and High Point, a new crew, Jordan Lake Rowing Club, emerged in 2016 and will also participate in the state championships.
High Point will be racing as HPG Rowing, the umbrella for High Point and Greensboro Crew.
Whilst rowing is one of the oldest sports in America, it is still very new in the Tar Heel state. “With just six youth rowing clubs, North Carolina is still very much in the pioneering phase for this sport,” says High Point club founder Gene Kininmonth. “This presents us with lots of opportunities but also a lot of challenges when folks in our local communities are not familiar with rowing.”
Kininmonth says that in addition to the six teams racing Saturday, there have been perhaps another dozen failed attempts to start rowing clubs in North Carolina in recent years. “So, I am truly in awe of all the coaches running these successful rowing clubs. The state championship will be as much a celebration of rowing as it is a competition.”
The six clubs have entered seventy two boats to race in 35 events for the inaugural NC Youth Rowing State Championships.
Coxswains and coaches will meet with referees at 9am in front of the Command Center.
Racing is slated to begin at 10am.
All rowers, boat trailers, and spectators should enter the lake at Festival Park:
1841 Eastchester Dr, High Point, NC 27265.
Rowing participants are advised to wear flip flops for ‘wet launching’ their boats.
A rowing crew returns to dock at Festival Park on Oak Hollow Lake.
Two Navy Women’s Crews raced Army in the historic first ever Army-Navy rowing encounter on Saturday, March 18, 2017 on Oak Hollow Lake in High Point, NC.
High Point, NC – The United States Naval Academy’s women’s rowing program concluded its week long training camp in High Point on Saturday with a string of boat race scrimmages that saw the Midshipmen dominate West Point (Army) on Oak Hollow Lake.
Boat racing took place in eight and four-man rowing shells and Navy won each match up in decisive fashion.
While the Army – Navy rivalry is one of the biggest in college sports, in an intriguing twist this was the historic first ever match race encounter between the two rowing programs.
“Any time Army and Navy get together to compete it is a big deal,” says Navy head rowing coach Joe Schlosberg, adding that Oak Hollow Lake is an ideal setting for a training camp despite the past week’s cooler than average temperatures.
“Every one in High Point has been so welcoming to our rowers and that makes a difference,” says Coach Schlosberg.
The Naval Academy selected Oak Hollow Lake as its base camp for the second consecutive year for its protected waterway and the South’s normally temperate climate at this time of year.
“The fact that these two stories rowing programs somehow ended up in High Point to race each other for the first time is an immense personal reward to our High Point Rowing Club and all the volunteer efforts of our rowers and parents to make Oak Hollow Lake such a rower friendly venue,” said club founder Gene Kininmonth.
High Point Rowing Club loaned the Navy Crew motor boats for coaching during their stay and when one broke down High Point University stepped in to assist with an additional coach boat. High Point Rowing Club also hosted the Navy Crew to a potluck dinner in its Jamestown Erg Room during the week.
The Navy squad returned to Annapolis, MD after Saturday’s races where they will make final preparations for the Murphy Cup in Philadelphia next weekend.
The US Naval Academy won both the fours and eights events in its historic first ever scrimmage with Army in High Point NC on March 18, 2017.
High Point Rowing Club hosted Navy Women’s Crew to a potluck feast in its Jamestown Erg Room during the Midshipmen’s spring training camp.
High Point Masters and parents in the Erg Room after hosting the Navy Women’s Crew to dinner – special thanks to Jackie King (second from right) for her leadership in hosting this wonderful event.
Caroline Lind, who won two Olympic gold medals, was inducted into the Triad Rowers’ Hall of Fame at the High Point Country Club on November 19.
High Point, NC – Rowers and parents from High Point Rowing Club joined almost 200 rowers from Wake Forest University, Greensboro Crew, and High Point University at High Point Country Club on Saturday night to induct double Olympic gold medalist Caroline Lind into the Triad Rowers’ Hall of Fame.
The occasion was the Celebration of Rowing banquet, the annual dinner to show appreciation for the sport of rowing and the local Triad rowing community. Celebration of Rowing is the one time each year when the Triad rowing community gathers to honor its own and enjoy hearing from a keynote speaker who has made a national impact on the sport of rowing.
Jack Carlson, author, archaeologist, and national team rower served as guest speaker at this year’s prestigious gala. Jack is a three-time member of the United States national rowing team.
Author, archeologist, and international rower Jack Carlson sports his new HPRC cricket jumper at the 2016 Celebration of Rowing banquet
Jack Carlson is also the author of the acclaimed book Rowing Blazers and on Saturday evening he gave a riveting presentation on the many traditions and secrets of club rowing social attire.
Jack continued a banquet tradition of introducing world renowned rowing leaders to the Triad. Cutting edge rowing boat maker, Misha Joukowsky, spoke in 2015 and Caroline Lind was the inaugural guest speaker in 2014.
Co-chaired by Jackie King and Caren York, the evening began with an hour of cocktails, hors d’eouvres, and bidding on wonderful auction items, donated for the occasion and organised by Masters rowers Mandy Greene and Girl Jeanne MacPherson.
Guests were soon seated in the formal ballroom, finding their seats as designated by beautiful place cards, hand written by Jennifer Burton. The night proceeded with introducing Morgan Epling, Lizzy Knorr, and Anna Lewis to sing the National Anthem. Junior Ognovich then gave the invocation, giving thanks for all the blessings the rowers enjoy in their lives at this time of year.
Caren and Greg York hold their silver cup for ‘service above and beyond’ to the youth rowing program at the 2016 Celebration of Rowing banquet at High Point Country Club.
A feast of filet mignon was then enjoyed whilst Burt Whicker played the country club’s grand piano. There is not much Burt doesn’t do these days. When he’s not rowing for High Point, he coaches rowing for both Greensboro Crew and High Point University and keeps the rowing equipment race worthy for all three clubs.
Connie Curri, who has spear headed parent involvement with the youth program this year, then presented the Mary Hollingsworth Cup to Greg & Caren York for their years of service ‘above and beyond’ to the crew.
Former Masters MVPs Erin Sanders and Mandy Greene presented the 2016 MVP Cup to Jackie King (center).
The next highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Masters MVP Silver Cup. Former MVPs Mandy Greene and Erin Sanders were honored to present this year’s award to Jackie King.
Maddie Mullins was awarded the Caroline Howard Cup for service and inspiration to her fellow rowers at the 2016 Celebration of Rowing banquet.
Each of the Triad’s head coaches and club Presidents were then invited to the podium to speak briefly about their programs. During his moment, Gene Kininmonth took the opportunity to present the Caroline Howard Cup for service and inspiration to the club from a youth rower to 2016 senior Maddie Mullins.
But the highlight of the night was the induction of Caroline Lind into the Triad Rowers’ Hall of Fame. Lind, a Greensboro native won two Olympic gold medals – first at the Beijing Games in 2008 in the United States women’s eight-oared crew and then again at the London Games in 2012. Lind also won world championship titles for the USA in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2014.
She was declared the World’s Female Rower of the Year in 2014 by FISA, the international governing body of the sport.
On Saturday, Caroline was presented with an oar blade mounted on a cherry wood plaque, denoting her many significant rowing achievements. Coach Gene Kininmonth returned to the podium to read the induction proclamation before presenting the oar blade to Caroline Lind, who concluded the evening with an inspirational speech, reflecting on her rowing career.
The banquet co-chairs and team captains would like to thank Jack Carlson and Caroline Lind for being such gracious guests at this year’s event, as well as all the volunteers and auction item donors for their support of this year’s Celebration of Rowing – you know who you are. Thank you!!!
High Point Rowing Club founder Gene Kininmonth (left) with Caroline Lind, Jack Carlson, Keziah Beall, and Jackie King at the 2016 Celebration of Rowing banquet.
Two hundred rowers and parents gathered at High Point Country Club for the 2016 Celebration of Rowing.
HOST COMMITTEE
Michael Brown
EJ Caughlin
Sam Dempsey
Morgan Epling
Scott Jones
Gene Kininmonth
Chelsea Klein
Elizabeth Knorr
Maddie Mullins
William Scarpa, III
Charles York
Refreshments with Hors d’oeuvres, Silent and Live Auctions, Dinner, Keynote Speaker, Award Presentations & Triad Rowers’ Hall of Fame Induction
The rowing clubs of the Triad are pleased to announce the 3rd annual Celebration of Rowing banquet, scheduled for Saturday, November 19, at the High Point Country Club.
Co-hosted by High Point Rowing Club, High Point University Rowing, Wake Forest Rowing Club, and Greensboro Crew, the Celebration of Rowing banquet is in its third year of recognizing an appreciation for our sport and our local rowing community. Celebration of Rowing is the one time each year when the Triad rowing community gathers to honor its own and enjoy hearing from a keynote speaker who has made a national impact on the sport of rowing.
This year the banquet will also serve as the occasion to induct Greensboro’s double Olympic gold medalist, Caroline Lind, into the Triad Rowers’ Hall of Fame.
Jack Carlson, author, archaeologist, and national team rower has accepted an invitation to speak at this year’s prestigious gala. Jack is a three-time member of the United States national rowing team. He is also the author of the acclaimed book Rowing Blazers.
Jack Carlson continues a banquet tradition of introducing world renowned rowing leaders to the Triad. Cutting edge rowing boat maker, Misha Joukowsky, spoke in 2015 and Caroline Lind was the 2014 guest speaker.
From left, rowers Adam Alt, Andrew Wright and Charles York pose with two time Olympic gold medal winner Caroline Lind at the 2014 Celebration of Rowing banquet.
