US Rowing regional remains a big draw to Vancouver Lake

A little shoreline flooding wasn’t going to stop this hearty bunch.

Boots, sandals and plain ‘ol bare feet did the job just fine as hundreds gathered over the weekend at Vancouver Lake to participate or watch the US Rowing Northwest Youth Champion, which has become a marquee event in Clark County.

Vancouver Lake Rowing Club was the local entry with 43 competitors. There were 26 clubs listed as rowers competed for hardware and spots to nationals.

“It has grown every year,” Vancouver Lake Rowing Club coach Alan Stewart said of the event that has been in the area for at least 20 years. “We get new clubs, new rowers and every year set an attendance record. I’ve been told we have the biggest attendance (of the regionals) in the country. We bring a lot to the city.”

The top three placers in the varsity event finals earned berths to nationals later in the summer.

Vancouver Lake’s women’s varsity quad of Kate Bricker, Alexa Dietz, Mara Cassidy and Grace Dojan placed third in the final with a time of 7 minutes, 22.104 seconds over the 2,000-meter course.

Dietz and Bricker were second in the women’s varsity 2x in 7:54.048. And Jordan Kronstad was second in the men’s 2 varsity in 8:17.544.

For more information on how to be a part of the Vancouver Lake Rowing Club, visit their website www.vancouverlakerowingclub.com.

Northwest Youth Championships

May 18-20 at Vancouver Lake

Vancouver Lake Rowing Club results

(Top three places in Varsity events qualify for nationals)

Men’s Lightweight 2x — 6, Maxwell Lafayette and Turner Bate 7:46.104

Women’s Varsity 2 — 6, Claire Scott and Sydney Slayden 8:22.262

Women’s Varsity 4x — 3, Kate Bricker, Alexa Dietz, Mara Cassidy, Grace Dojan 7:22.104

Men’s Lightweight 1x — 4, Maxwell Layfayette 8:25.414

Men’s Novice 4x+ — 2, Andrew Hewitt, Henry White, Caleb Sonnerberg, Andrew Kim, (cox) Kincaid Smith 7:23.460

Men’s Varsity 2x — 5, Adam Garrison and Jordan Kronstad 7:21.162

Women’s Varsity 2x — 2, Alexa Dietz and Kate Bricker 7:54.048

Men’s Novice 1x — 4, Gabriel Canfield 8:52.627

Women’s Novice 4x+ — 6, Morgan MacIntyre, Angelena Palena, Rachel Droubay, Alexis Louie, (cox) Sofia Pelkey 8:42.263

Women’s 2 Varsity 4x — 4, Kate Feustel, Jordan Griffin, Lena Gray, Katherine Bate 7:52.496

Men’s 2 Varsity 2x — 4, Matthew Keeble and Kevin Cassidy 7:45.071

Men’s 2 Varsity 1x — 2, Jordan Kronstad 8:17.544

Women’s Novice 1x — 1, Grace Dojan 9:11.981; 4, Lillian Lorenz 9:52.985