California Rowing Club (CRC) athletes had spectators on the edge of their seats Oct. 5 at the 3rd Annual Wine Country Rowing Classic on the Petaluma River in Northern California. The event, hosted by Petaluma's North Bay Rowing Club, is a 5,000-meter race with boats of each class starting at 10-second intervals. The CRC took first through eighth place in the singles and first through fourth in the doubles, finishing within seconds of each other and drumming up excitement among spectators.
"When we saw the cluster of singles coming around the Observation Platform, then around the bend pushing hard for the finish - their performance was absolutely astounding," says Ned Orrett, secretary of the North Bay Rowing Club. "It was totally breathtaking."
It's very unusual to have so many rowers come in so close with a rolling start, says Maggie Hohle of the North Bay Rowing Club. This year, 172 crews (632) athletes competed in 35 events. The CRC's Michael Holbrook took first place in the singles, followed by Elliot Hovey, Patrick O'Hea, Wes Piermarini, Donny Simkin, Warren Anderson, Scott Gault, and Will Miller, all of the CRC. Hovey and Piermarini came in first in the doubles, the same event they raced at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. They were followed by Scott Gault and Donny Simkin; Michael Holbrook and Warren Anderson; and Will Miller and Patrick O'Hea. Scott Gault was also among the rowers to represent the United States in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Nicky Gavel, one of the CRC's visiting athletes, rowed in the women's open singles, coming in first place.
Located in Oakland, Calif., the California Rowing Club (CRC) is a training center for elite-level rowers who compete at World Cup, World Championship, and Olympic levels. Rich Hallock, executive director of the CRC, who also rowed on the Petaluma River while at the University of the Pacific, suggested the event to CRC coaches Tim McLaren and Joel Scrogin. The races provided an ideal post-Olympic return to training and competition. CRC athletes will also compete in Boston's Head of the Charles regatta Oct. 18 and 19.
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