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.
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.
Sarasota, Florida – High Point rowers are off to a strong start at the 2018 USRowing Southeast Youth Championships with 5 of 6 of the club’s boats advancing through the first round this morning.
Opening racing for High Point, Junior Ognovich and Arte Blythe, both finished among the top 14 single scullers to qualify for finals this afternoon.
In some tight racing, Lindsay York and Molly Hilemn finished 9th in the women’s pairs time trial. With only the first 7 qualifying for the final the two just missed the Sunday final.
Next up Will Hundley and Harry Capizzi finished 5th in the time trial for men’s pairs and thus qualifying for the final on Sunday.
Next up, High Point’s Ainsley Fox and Charlotte Curri qualified for the final on Sunday in the women’s lightweight double scull.
Charlotte Curri and Ainsley Fox have qualified for Sunday’s final in the women’s lightweight double sculls at the 2018 USRowing Southeast Youth Championships.
Ashley Walker and Emily Winberg then raced the women’s open weight double scull. Despite only recently being paired together, the two qualified for afternoon semi final racing.
Ashley Walker and Emily Winberg launch at the 2018 USRowing Southeast Youth Championships in Sarasota, Florida.
In other afternoon racing, Matthew Hronich and Jacob Messick will race in the first round heats of U17 boys double sculls. With 20 entries this may be the most competitive field at the regional championships. The two are no strangers to competition, however, after winning the same event at the Dogwood Junior Championships two weeks ago.
In tomorrow’s finals, Molly Hilemn, Arte Blythe. Kinkead Crotts, and Charlotte Curri, will also be racing in the women’s U17 quadscull event. High Point won bronze in this event in 2017.
Held at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, the USRowing Southeast Youth Championships will feature 1,406 athletes from 49 clubs racing in 416 boats. The regional championship is a must stop on the road to the national championships. Crews must finish in the top three in their regional to qualify for nationals, which will be held in Sacramento, Calif., in June.
We are raising funds to build a stronger fleet for High Point Rowing Club!
To kick off fundraising the Crew will host its annual Ergathon by rowing 100 kilometers in our erg room at 124C Wade Street in Jamestown on March 3, 2018. The purpose of this year’s Ergathon is to raise funds to build a floating dock and upgrade the Club’s fleet of boats and equipment. We ask all our rowers, Masters and youth, to vigorously seek financial support from friends, neighbors and family. We hope you will support them!
Last year the Ergathon raised over $24,000 and allowed the team to purchase new shells. Individual rowers who raise over $500 from family and friends will be recognized with some special exclusive apparel. Family’s who contribute over $125 will see their name proudly displayed on the team banner in the erg room and on race day at regattas.
“High Point rowers really step up for this vital event for the club,” says club founder Gene Kininmonth. “The Ergathon is not only the most important event we do for the development of our team, it is also one of the most fun events of the year.”
Donation/Ergathon forms will be handed out to rowers next week.
The 2016 Ergathon raised funds to install boat racks at Oak Hollow Lake.
The High Point Rowing Club Donors of 2017
Club Patrons $5,000 & greater
Jackie & Herschel King
City of High Point
HPRC Masters are generous supporters of the club.
The Stewards Society
$2,500 to $4,999
Kiwi Mike Hitchcock
Erin & Richard Sanders
High Point CVB
Power 10 Club
$1,000 to $2,499
Beth & Russ Heer
Kim & Gregory Hundley
Steve McCusker
Shelli & Brandon York
The Last 500 Club
$500 to $999
Anonymous
Mandy, Eric & Colin Greene
Gene Kininmonth & Amy MacArthur
Beverly & Lawrence Snively
Nancy Yohn
Gifts from rowers & friends helped get Junior and Maddie to Nationals in 2017.
Oak Hollow Club $250 to $499
Kristen Bremer
Robbin & Jerry Bryant
Bruce Cantrell
Henry Dorn
Nandita & VC Harish
Anne & Parker Huitt
Catherine & John Li
Bobbi Long
Debbie & Matthew O’Connell
Girl Jeanne McPherson
Elizabeth Nowell
Jerald Winter
Family Banner Club
$125 to $249
Marlena & Joshua Abantollans
Therese Blewitt & Therese Keaton
Jacqueline Broach
Ann & George Clendon
Connie & Mark Curri
Elizabeth & Mark Davidson
Paul Delaney
Katherine & Christopher Dickson
Lori & David Gignac
Leslie & Duncan Hicks
Julie & Gregory Higgins
Michele Krantz
Traci Loria
Alisha & Arthur Maynard
Susan Michel
Kellie & Todd Owsley
Rebecca & John Parker
Ashley & Matt Pipkin
William & Catherine Scarpa
Courtney Sparrow
Sarah & Donnie Sparrow
Susan Stephenson
Premalata & Komal Sundaram
Laura Tanley
Anu & Venky Venkatesh
Greta & Jason Tilley
Varsity Blues Club
$50 to $124
Anonymous
Rachel & Haywood Alexander
Tracy Bragdon
Jackie & Jerry Bryant
Jane Critchley
Mack Duncan
Deborah & Alan Gale
Mr & Mrs Paul Gibson
Paula Guenther
Lauren Hawthorne
Brenda & Robert Hilemn
Nanette Hutchison
Allie Jannetta
Kimberlie Kaltenbach
Tony Meyers
Christopher Murray
Brenda Planes
Erica Reisberger
Michael Shea
Lindsay York
Caren & Greg York
*Note, some of these names reflect gifts designated to Greensboro Crew
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR GENEROUS DONORS FOR THESE 2017 GIFTS! Please email contact@highpointrowing.com to note any errors or omissions.
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.
The rowing clubs of the Triad are pleased to announce the fourth annual Celebration of Rowing banquet, scheduled for Saturday, November 18, at Sedgefield Country Club.
The Celebration of Rowing banquet is in its fourth 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.
An incredible keynote speaker for 2017 will be announced shortly. He or she will follow a talented line of speakers in recent years who have each had a national impact on the rowing community:
2014 Caroline Lind, 2X Olympic gold medalist
2015 Misha Joukowsky, Resolute shells
2016 Jack Carlson, Rowing Blazers
“The Celebration of Rowing banquet is a special night for rowers,” says the event chair Jackie King. “It is about coming together to celebrate the sport we all love and for many of us a sport that has held a profound transformational effect on our lives.”
Double Olympic gold medalist Caroline Lind was inducted into the Triad Rowers’ Hall of Fame at the High Point Country Club on November 19, 2016.Maddie Mullins was awarded the Caroline Howard Cup for service and inspiration to her fellow rowers at the 2016 Celebration of Rowing banquet.Almost 200 rowers and their families gathered at High Point Country Club for the 2016 Celebration of Rowing banquet.Author, archeologist, and international rower Jack Carlson regaled the almost 200 rowers at the Celebration of Rowing banquet with his historical account of rowing’s social attire.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.Former Masters MVPs Erin Sanders and Mandy Greene presented the 2016 MVP Cup to Jackie King (center).
If you are in grades 6-12, and maybe looking for a new sport then come give rowing a try. Six days of rowing for free. Just register and show up. It is that easy!
No experience necessary but you must be able to swim as a safety precaution. Participants must also 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 from Monday, August 28 though Saturday September 2. You do not have to participate every day.
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:
• flip flops and normal athletic attire
• water bottle
Questions? Just email our coach, Gene, at contact@highpointrowing.com or call him at (336) 257-9009.
High Point rowers Maddie Mullins and Junior Ognovich (far boat) are quick off the start in the final at the 2017 USRowing Youth National Championships.
Sarasota, Florida – High Point rowers Maddie Mullins and Junior Ognovich capped off a historic season by improving on their best time by 7 seconds and finishing sixth in the women’s pair final at the USRowing Youth National Championships on Sunday.
Connecticut Boat Club won the event with a time of 7 minutes 30 seconds, nearly 21 seconds ahead of the field.
Ognovich and Mullins, who qualified for the final with a third place semi-final finish on Saturday, finished Sunday’s race with a time of 8:06.866.
The High Point duo were elated with their performance after the race.
“We really had a great last row,” said Junior as her boat returned to dock. “I felt Maddie behind me rowing hard every stroke of the race. That’s everything you can ask of your pair partner.”
“We just want to say thank you to everyone for all the support and love. We definitely would not have done this well without all the support from back home,” said Maddie after the race. “It’s a good last race to end my rowing career at High Point Rowing Club.”
The top six national ranking caps off a season that saw Junior and Maddie win the women’s double sculls final at the North Carolina state championships in April, as well as the Southeast Region title in the women’s pair in May. The regional win qualified the two for nationals.
Maddie was also the club’s 2017 Female Rower of the Year.
Maddie and Junior advise today’s High Point/Greensboro rowers to “work hard and love the process and you too can go to Nationals.”
Top 6 in the nation: High Point rowers Junior Ognovich and Maddie Mullins with coach Gene Kininmonth at the 2017 USRowing Youth National Championships.
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.
If you are in grades 6-12, and maybe looking for a spring sport then come give rowing a try. Five days of rowing for free. Just register and show up. It is that easy!
No experience necessary but you must be able to swim as a safety precaution. Participants must also 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 5 though Friday June 9.
WHERE? Oak Hollow Lake: 3700 Waterview Road, High Point, NC.
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:
• sneakers and normal athletic attire
• water bottle
Questions? Just email our coach, Gene, at contact@highpointrowing.com or call him at (336) 257-9009.
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.
