By David Fierro
A group of outstanding Brunswick School rowers returned from the 2023 USRowing Youth National Championships with bronze medals, after excelling at the prestigious event, held in Sarasota, Florida.
The Bruins’ crew of Henry Andren junior (stroke seat), senior Jimmy Cabot (three seat), senior Ruffin Bryant (two), Campbell Officer, a senior, (bow) and junior coxswain Lucas Tan capped another banner year in rowing for Brunswick.
Besides placing third in the Men’s Youth 4+ A Final at the USRowing Youth National Championship in Florida, the Bruins’ fivesome won several other big regattas in addition to earning silver medals at the famed Head of the Charles Regatta in the fall season.
Held annually in June, the USRowing Youth National Championships is the premier event in the domestic high school rowing calendar. Crews must qualify at one of 12 regional championships. Brunswick’s crew won the USRowing Northeast Youth Championships on May 21 to punch its ticket to the National Championships, which took place this past Thursday to Sunday.
While Brunswick qualified for this regatta two previous times in school history (2018 and 2022) through top two finishes at the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA) Championships, this year was the first that Brunswick sent a boat to Nationals.
The regatta was a grueling four-day event in the Florida sun held on the world-class 2000m course at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota/Bradenton. In the opening heats on Thursday, Brunswick took a strong third in the Time Trial among 29 boats, a performance which earned them a place in Friday’s semifinals. The fast and clean Bruins crew finished in second place in the semifinals on Friday, clocking in at 6:46.424 to earn a place in the eight-boat A Final, held this past Sunday.
After a “delay of regatta” warning and a re-start of the race, by the 500-meter mark, Brunswick settled into the third position, where they remained and held off charges from California’s Newport Sea Base Rowing, along with Greenwich Crew and Chicago Rowing Foundation. Another California team, Norcal Crew, won the gold, finishing first in the race in a time of 6:27.672. Brunswick finished in third place, earning the gold medal with a time of 6:35.841. Greenwich Crew was fifth in the race (6:38.071).
The season was one that Andren, Cabot, Bryant, Officer and Tan certainly won’t forget.
