The 2025 USRowing Youth National Championship is 30 years old and one of the most significant youth sporting events in the United States. Held yearly, over four days in early summer, 4,000 plus athletes, 1000 coaches, 5000 spectators will flock to Nathan Benderson Park. Watched by D1-D3 college coaches and recruiters, this is the final arbiter of year-end overall performance and end-of-season boat speed, rankings, and of schools and programme performance. Those crews skilful enough will be recognised as worthy of a bid for a Henley Royal Regatta slot in July. Many here will be racing there on the Henley Reach in a month.
Crews qualified to attend and compete at USNationals by racing and qualifying at various state or regional regattas throughout the United States. This means USNationals represents all the states and regions, with the very fastest programmes and boats gathering to complete and race for a final time at Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota, Florida, at the premier rowing facility in the US.
Waterford Crew
Waterford Crew returns to the national stage with the speed, the culture and a legacy of a truly competitive programme. This quad made the trip from Utah to race at the championship level against the very best programmes in a championship format. I think both crews from Utah can make the finals. Waterford Crew won the SRAA (Scholastic Rowing Association of America) last month in a time of 5:10.8 over 1500m and the Southwest Regionals in 7:30.0. With a rich history in sculling, I have no doubt they can claim a podium finish this weekend.
Redwood Scullers/PAC JC
Second at the 2025 San Diego Crew Classic to Los Gatos Rowing Club, this programme and their athletes are top tier in every event they enter. Redwood will throw down fast time trials and follow them up with competitive side-by-side racing. Reputation – start fast, sprint the entire race at high cadences. Having placed a somewhat disappointing fourth at Southwest Regionals, behind Waterford, Newport Aquatic Center and Los Gatos, they will be vengeful to reclaim the national title, having won by open water last season.
Episcopal School of Dallas
Winner of the 2025 Stotesbury Cup Regatta (time trial – only) Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD) is a solid contender looking for more racing experience at the national level. They are well-drilled and always in the running. ESD has a pedigree of well-coached crews, and their time trial at “Stotes” proved to be the fastest and a trophy winner for 2025.
Conshohocken Rowing Center
One of the best junior programmes in the country, this programme has a crew that should be in the top six on finals Sunday. Winners at Mid-Atlantic Regionals, three seconds ahead of the Nereid Boat Club, Inc., this programme has the athletes, the coaches, the culture to make finals at Nationals. The outfit is experienced and have proven boat speed and race experience.
Other Mentions
Founders Rowing Club come off a win at the 2025 Central Youth Regional Championship. This high-performance all-female team from Dallas, Texas, has developed elite athletes for years and will be in “the hunt” for a podium position this year in Sarasota. Y-Quad City Rowing is also a name to watch, having won the Midwest Regionals in clear water, and this regatta many times in the last 10 years.
Prediction
Look for Conshohocken and Waterford followed by Redwood Scullers and Los Gatos to cross the line first in the A-final, although it will be a close call. Winning this event can make you a Henley Royal Regatta 2025 hopeful on Sunday, and I hope to see some upsets at NBP this weekend.
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