From June 12-15, the fastest junior rowers in the United States will compete at the USRowing Youth National Championship at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this year’s Championship will draw nearly 10,000 athletes, coaches and supporters to revel in the pinnacle of US junior rowing at the premier racecourse in the country. Drawing from regional and state championships, with the addition of worthy petitioners, the USRowing Youth National Championship will deliver top-notch racing and a memorable experience for all athletes and fans. The men’s youth eight features 31 entries from 15 states, in what will be the fastest regatta event.
RowAmerica Rye
RowAmerica Rye enters as the defending champion, a position with which Head Coach Aleksandar Radovic is familiar. After finishing sixth at the 2024 Head of the Charles, RAR has won the NYS Rowing Championship, and avenged early-season losses to St. Joseph’s Preparatory and Mercer by winning a windy KCRA Regatta title. RowAmerica Rye row a simple and effective technique which works in all conditions. Their style will maintain speed throughout the race, and if executed properly, will help them find the podium once again.
St. Joseph’s Preparatory School
“The Prep” is one of the premier schoolboy crews that the United States of America has to offer year after year. St. Joe’s blasts out of the gate in all of their races, looking to assert their dominance over their opponents. In 2024, they fell short of RAR and have been looking for revenge ever since. They came out victorious at the Mercer Sprints, only to be upended at the KCRA Regatta two weeks later. Coach John Fife will have his rowers set a blistering pace, like the one that earned them a flow-aided 3:56 1500m time trial at Stotesbury Cup and a 5:45 final win at the Mid-Atlantic Youth Championships. They are a favourite to win the event if they can hang on.
Marin Rowing Association
Last year’s fourth-place finisher, Marin Rowing Association, has been on a mission to take the next step and win this event. They started their campaign with an impressive second at the Head of the Charles Regatta, losing only to St. Paul’s School by under nine seconds. Marin won the San Diego Crew Classic and the Southwest Regional Championship emphatically this spring. This crew has been posting videos all season long, and looked faster and faster with each release. Look for Marin to be in the fight for the podium when the buoys turn red in the last 250m.
Princeton National Rowing Association
The Princeton National Rowing Association, commonly known as Mercer, has moved to the top of the men’s eight field since their trip to Henley Royal Regatta last summer. They placed fourth at the Head of the Charles in October, ahead of regional rival St. Joe’s. Throughout the spring, St. Joe’s and Mercer have traded bows, with Mercer prevailing at the KCRA Regatta, and The Prep taking the win at Mercer Sprints and the Mid-Atlantic Youth Championship. The men of Mercer will be familiar with many of the top contenders in the field and hope to use it to their advantage when the hardware is decided.
Prediction
St. Joe’s Prep will look to establish an early lead and will face challenges in the second thousand from Mercer and RowAmerica Rye. The crew from RowAmerica Rye have the experience and discipline to repeat as champions. They know when to peak and will find their way to the top spot again. Marin will be in the fray, and can contend for the medals if they can keep their nerve with other crews ahead early. There are several scholastic crews, including Belen Jesuit, Deerfield, and Rustbelt rivals Canisius (SRAA Champions) and Catholic Central, who will look to stick their nose out early and could cause trouble in the final, if they can advance out of the semifinals. Ultimately, I’m going with RowAmerica Rye, Marin and St. Joe’s Prep in what should be an electric final.
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