BETHEL, Ohio - The defending team points champion, Vesper is on track to make it a three-peat as the Philadelphia crew posted an early lead over the field of competitors at the 2015 USRowing Club Nationals with 200 total team points with 28 medals after 37 grand finals.
"We are super excited about where we are at this stage of the championships and we are hanging on by the skin of our teeth on the men's side but I can't say enough about the coaches we have hired and the athletes we recruited for the summer," said Vesper Coach Sean Clarke.
"It is fantastic performances from the men's and the women's programs that has made Senior 1x Goode (Vesper)-3this possible. It is also everything from the people who have loaned us equipment and boats that has aided our success to this point. We are still humbly trying to get through the weekend."
With a total of eight gold medals, the maroon and white posted top finishes in the men's senior single sculls, women's intermediate four, men's senior lightweight double sculls, women's senior lightweight four, men's senior lightweight pair, men's intermediate lightweight single sculls, men's U19 single sculls, men's senior quadruple sculls and men's senior lightweight quadruple sculls.
At the end of the morning's finals, 37 champions were crowned as 214 crews competed for gold. In second place with 94 total points with 16 medals was Saugatuck. In third, Sarasota posted a total of 84 points with six boats receiving medals, three of them gold.
However, the success of a crew is not always connected to how many medals they receive. For Penn Athletic Club's U19 eight, their bronze medal in today's grand final is the start of something great.
"It was one of the most exciting races that I have ever been in," said Penn AC's JennaU19 Penn AC Womens 8+ Thompson. "It was six boats across for almost the entire race and you could tell everyone was really just putting their heart and soul into it which is one of the reasons I really love this sport."
The medal was the Penn AC's first medal for a women's crew at club nationals in the program's history.
"You can't be successful in this sport without a good team and we had all around heart in this lineup. Penn AC's program is up and coming and the girls in this boat were definitely an important part in that."
The Cincinnati Junior Club men's U19 four fulfilled its duties as one of the local favorite by winning gold in their grand final in a time of 6:32.225.
"It has been a lot of fun racing so close to home," said CRJC's Andrew Sizemore. "We were up off the start and just stayed calm so it made for a good race for us."
"It is great getting to sleep in my own bed," said Sizemore's boat mate Ben Capannari.U19 Cincy Jr Mens 4+ "This is great for Cincinnati and we are pumped that everyone is here."
Racing continues tomorrow at 8 a.m. starting with heats in the men's senior pair.