The awards table at the 2014 Spring Crew Banquet for High Point Rowing Club.
Oak Hollow Lake – High Point Rowing Club celebrated the youth rowing program at the annual Spring Crew Banquet last night by honoring the rowers and in particular the high school seniors who will graduate in just weeks from now.
Following a delicious pot luck feast, the evening’s celebrations were kicked off by Grimsley HS students, Quinn Eury and Aliute Udoka, who sang an inspiring duet version of the National Anthem, which brought many students and parents to near tears by their beautiful performance.
Mary Horan, who is parent liaison to the team and a director of the non-profit board, then proceeded with introductory remarks by thanking parents of the rowers for their generous support of the team, in particular Susie Alt and Cathy Howard for hosting the food tables at all crew regattas.
The evening then took on a humorous twist with Bishop McGuinness sophomore Emma Lloyd entertaining the audience with rower awards based on fitting superlatives. These awards have now become a popular annual tradition with the crew.
Next up chief coach Gene Kininmonth 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. Following this Coach Kininmonth thanked the team’s captains, Sarah Catto, Katie Ognovich, and Andrew Wright for their service to the team and then announced the new Captains for 2014, Addie Millsap, Kim Pollard, Adam Alt, and Colin Howard. Coach then presented awards to rowers for ‘Most Improved’, ‘Rookie of the Year’, and ‘Rower of the Year’.
The most important part of the ceremonies then arrived as seniors Catherine Thompson, Sarah Catto, and Katie Ognovich were honored and thanked for their service to the crew. Emotions ran high as the three seniors each made stirring speeches, each reflecting on their own personal experiences of High Point Rowing Club.
Winning the privilege to drink a Toast from The York Cup in 2014 were Margaux Blanchard, Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Adam Alt, Ryan Kurtiak, Jackie Ognovich, Aliute Udoka, Victoria Goldin, and Maddie Mullins.High Point Rowing Club’s “Most Improved” Rowers for 2014: Andrew Wright & Jackie Ognovich.2014 Rookies of the Year: Colin Howard and Aliute Udoka.High Point Rowing Club’s 2014 Male Rower of the Year is Adam Alt.2014 Female Rower of the Year (pictured with chief coach Gene Kininmonth): Katie Ognovich.Seniors say farewell: Katie Ognovich (University of Oklahoma), Catherine Thompson (University of Wisconsin), and Sarah Catto (Liberty University).Team photo on the dock – an annual High Point Rowing Club tradition.
Oak Ridge, Tennessee – High Point Rowing Club’s sweep squad continued its ascent in the high school regional ranks at the Dogwood Regatta on Melton Lake on Saturday. The squad narrowed the gap significantly with regional rivals Atlanta and Asheville from its previous outing at the Clemson Sprints two weeks ago in South Carolina.
The Dogwood Regatta concluded the team’s regular spring racing season with select crews continuing on to the USRowing Southeast Regional Championships in Sarasota, Florida in two weeks.
With the Dogwood Regatta drawing over 500 crews in different boat classes from as far away as Chicago and Detroit, there was a depth of high school talent on display not seen before at the event.
On the women’s side High Point entered sweep crews in the Division I & II novice eights and also the Division I & II varsity eights. On the men’s side, High Point entered crews in the Division I novice eights and fours events.
WOMEN’S RACING
High Points crew of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Quinn Eury, Atlanta Maggie, Hayden Davis, Anna Kareis, Paige Steele, Hadley Copeland, Kaylie Mills and bow Margaux Blanchard win silver at the Dogwood Regatta.
High Point opened sweep racing in the Divion II women’s novice eights event and finished second in the Final. The crew, comprised of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Quinn Eury, Atlanta Maggie, Hayden Davis, Anna Kareis, Paige Steele, Hadley Copeland, Kaylie Mills, and bow Margaux Blanchard held a steady rhythm throughout the race to finish just behind Cincinnati.
Women’s Division II Novice Eights
1. Cincinnati 2. High Point
3. St. Andrew High School
4. St. Louis
5. Chicago
6. McCallie High School
In the Division I Women’s Novice Eights Final, High Point was represented by coxswain Katharine Komsa, stroke Bethany Brake, Maddie Mullins, Victoria Goldin, Aliute Udoka, Abbey Lowdermilk, Addy Millsap, Jr Ognovich, and bow Kim Pollard. The crew featured significant lineup changes from the Clemson Sprints Regatta and finished with the 8th fastest time out of 17 crews entered. Most significantly in Oak Ridge, the crew narrowed the gap on Asheville by 10 seconds since their earlier race in Clemson.
High Point Novice Eight (left to right) Kim Pollard, Bethany Brake, Victoria Goldin, Maddie Mullins, Katharine Komsa, Aliute Udoka, Junior Ognovich, Addy Millsap and Abbey Lowdermilk. The crew will next race at the USRowing Southeast Junior Regional Championships in Sarasota, FL on May 10-11.High Point’s Division II Varsity Eight was comprised of almost all novice rowers. From left to right – Kiki Davis, Quin Eury, Addy Millsap, Olivia Mangus, Anna Kareis, Abbey Lowdermilk, Hayden Davis, Junior Ognovich and Margaux Blanchard.
With High Point Rowing still little more than 18 months old, the women’s varsity eight continues to improve in just its first spring season of varsity competition. The crew finished fourth in its heat behind St. Louis, Rocket City, and Detroit and posted the 8th fastest time out of 15 teams in the preliminary round.
High Point co-captain Sarah Catto said her crew had a strong race and should be proud of its accomplishments. “This is a big time regatta and to be in the middle of the pack in just our first season of competition is gratifying.”
For Catto, a senior at Westchester Country Day School, the moment was bittersweet as this was her last scholastic race with High Point.
High Point has joined the ranks of some of the best varsity crews in the Southeast. The 2014 crew is comprised of coxswain Bethany Brake, stroke Kim Pollard, Maddie Mullins, Catherine Thompson, Katie Ognovich, Sarah Catto, Aliute Udoka, Emma Lloyd and bow Katharine Komsa.
MEN’S RACING
On the boys side High Point Rowing foursome of bow Nick Heflin, Crosby Howard, Colin Howard, Lewis Crotts and coxswain Emma Lloyd experienced some misadventure when they hit an unexpected boat wake during their race. One of the rowers came off the seat during the turbulent moment and the crew finished in 6th place.
High Point Rowing foursome of bow Nick Heflin, Crosby Howard, Colin Howard, Lewis Crotts and coxswain Emma Lloyd prepare for boat racing action in Oak Ridge Tennessee.
Things quickly picked up however for the boys squad with the novice eight crew putting on an exhibition display of rowing in their Final. “Our goal was to beat Asheville after we lost to them at the Clemson Sprints two weeks ago,” said Andrew Wright, who is captain of the boys squad.
High Point finished in an outstanding third place behind Cincinnati and Atlanta. “We beat Asheville’s time by 10 seconds and were only 9 seconds behind Atlanta after finishing 23 seconds back from them in Clemson,” said Wright. “This was a successful weekend of racing for our squad.”
Added High Point head coach Gene Kininmonth: “Atlanta and Asheville are the premier scholastic sweep programs in our region and these are the teams we most want to emulate. Asheville coaches Jack Gartner and Martha Williams have paved the way for youth rowing in North Carolina since they founded their youth program little more than half a dozen years ago. So, anytime we have a boat that can compete with them I am certainly delighted.” High Point (center) powers down the Melton Lake course ahead of Detroit and Augusta in the men’s novice eights final. The crew was comprised of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Andrew Wright, Colin Howard, Charles York, Austin Young, Adam Alt, Kyle Koval, Josh Dasnoit and bow Ryan Kurtiak.
High Point Rowing Club celebrated its first birthday this weekend with a morning row followed by a potluck brunch for rowers, families and friends at Oak Hollow Lake.
In contrast to a year ago when eight high school students launched the team’s first boat, today’s team boasts almost 40 athletes from public and private high schools across the Triad.
The poignancy of the occasion was captured in a stirring speech to the Crew by team co-captain Sarah Catto, a senior at Westchester Country Day School. “I was not here a year ago for the first row, but neither were most of us,” said Catto. “That is part of what makes this first year of the team such a remarkable story. Everyone here has had their own experience from their first day to today and for all of us here it has been a new love of this sport from the very first stroke.”
“We ask ourselves “WHY THE HECK DO WE DO THIS?”
“You are with a group of your best friends who are all in the same boat…literally…striving for the same goal of doing your best and succeeding! I mean I don’t think there is a better feeling of knowing that every single person you’re in the boat with is working towards the same goal! And I wish there was a better way to describe the feeling you get from crew. But there are really no words to describe the amazing bond between crew members. The definition of a team sport is crew because there are definitely no other sports out there where you literally are relying on everyone in the boat, and need every single person there to reach that goal. I know every single one of us have never felt more blessed to be able to not only find the sport of rowing but to have found each other on our home here on Oak Hollow Lake. High Point crew all the way!”
Team founder Gene Kininmonth says there is an extraordinary community building around the club. “This first year we have laid a cornerstone. There is no question that the sport of rowing is now here to stay in High Point. We are fortunate to have an incredible partner in the City of High Point’s Parks & Recreation department, which provides us with access to one of the most beautiful lakes in North Carolina in Oak Hollow Lake.”
Boys and girls attending any Triad area school (Yrs 9-12) are eligible to join the team. No experience necessary. Email contact@highpointrowing.com or see the Registration page for details.
Sarah Catto is High Point’s Rower of the Month for April.
Sarah Catto is a starboard oarsman for High Point Rowing Club.
A Junior at Westchester Country Day School in High Point, Catto joined High Point Rowing Club in the fall season and rowed on the team’s top scholastic crew at the Head of the Hooch Regatta, the second largest boat race in the nation for rowing.
Most recently, Catto was selected as part of the central core, known as the ‘engine room,’ of High Point’s women’s junior eight that finished in 4th place out of 16 teams at the Dogwood Regatta in Oak Ridge, TN earlier this month. The result was the best of any North Carolina crew at the event that featured 1,600 high school students competing.
Catto is also a member of the varsity school swim team at Westchester Country Day School. Outside of her athletic endeavors, she is known for being able to make almost anything out of duct tape.
Congratulations Sarah Catto!
Sarah Catto, wearing a pink head band, teamed up with Cara Mills, Olivia Mangus, Zoe Kelley, and Aislinn Antrim in the coxed four event at the Clemson Sprints Regatta.
