CRC Medalists at US Rowing Mid-Atlantic Youth Championship
BOTTOM (l-r) Piper Konz, Emiko Kubach, Graciela Preetam, and Beatrix Lay (not pictured Egypt Strickland)
TOP (l-r) John Walish, David Bauml, John Hiester, Rowan Arendt, and Rainer Arendt

Conshohocken Rowing Center (CRC) captured four golds and one silver medal at the US Rowing Mid-Atlantic Youth Championship, punching the ticket for five of its girls and all of its boys to row in the invitation-only US Rowing National Championship Regatta and earning the Efficiency Trophy awarded to the team with the greatest percentage of winners and final qualifiers.

"I'm incredibly proud of the tremendous determination, resilience, and grit shown by these young athletes under immense competition," said Coach Craig Hoffman, executive director of CRC. "With gusting winds, the semi final rounds were cancelled which added even more pressure on four of our varsity events having to go from 15-31 contenders straight down to seven with no room for error. Every single boat made the grand finals. Their hard work and dedication paid off."

Extreme wind gusts forced regatta officials to rearrange Saturday schedules for safety reasons, condensing the day, delaying doubles and singles, and cancelling all pre-scheduled semi final rounds. Water conditions required additional steering to accommodate for winds. The moves also created scheduling challenges for rowers double racing, including women's youth double and women's U17 single, yet both made the Sunday grand finals in their categories.

CRC's first race Sunday brought silver in the men's youth single for John Hiester, winning second in open water by a near five second margin. Hiester had taken third in time trials out of 28 contenders. The silver finish is Hiester's first Mid-Atlantic race competition and will be his first Nationals appearance.

"The single is the most challenging boat on the water, as you and you alone are responsible for the race," said Head Coach Aaron Preetam. "Johnny has only begun to tap into his vast potential. He is poised to achieve at an even higher level at nationals and beyond this summer."

CRC's second race brought gold for rowing brothers Rainer and Rowan Arendt in the men's youth double in a start to finish competitive final with less than two seconds separating first and second, and only 2.2 seconds separating first and fourth. The Arendts had finished second in the time trials out of 24 contenders. The win earned them a spot at Nationals, in what will be the first appearance for Rainer and the second for Rowan, his first resulting in silver at Nationals.

"The men's varsity double race was one of the closest races of the day with four teams edging for the win and the ticket to nationals. With less than 200 meters to go, Rowan and Rainer made their move and sprinted to first and took the gold," said Coach Preetam. "It's that kind of competition that drives a true competitor and makes them stronger, focused, and in the end, victorious."

In CRC's third race, Aubrey Lewis and Emiko Kubach captured sixth in the women's youth double. They had previously taken sixth in the time trials out of 20 contenders - the largest field of any of the women's sculling events.

"Although they didn't qualify for nationals, making it to the final out of a field of 20 boats with limited time in the boat was a feat in itself. I am proud of Aubrey's steadfast leadership, and I know she will thrive at BU next year," said Coach Preetam. "While Emiko recently joined the team, she embodies all the qualities we strive to instill at CRC."

Fourth race of the day brought together Hiester and the Arendts at the starting line with bow John Walish for the men's youth quad, just 40 minutes after the brothers' victory in the double. The quad finished sixth, having tied for third in the time trials out of 15 contenders the day before.

The remaining three races of the day brought victory in each event, starting with the women's youth quad, bringing gold for Graciela Preetam, Beatrix Lay, Egypt Strickland, and Piper Konz, sprinting to open water and a three and a half second victory, CRC's biggest winning margin of the day. The quad had taken first in the time trials in a field of 10 contenders. The win continued the streak of each of the quad's four rowers medaling at an event at Mid Atlantics and competing at nationals each year of their racing, led by Lay with four years, followed by Konz and Preetam each with three, and Strickland with two.

CRC has medaled in every women's quad event in which they've competed since the team's creation and first race in September 2024. Teammates Molly Murphy and Aubrey Lewis have also rowed to gold in the women's quad this year including Murphy in Head of the Charles and Head of the Schuylkill, and Lewis in Cooper Cup Regatta and Frostbite Regatta. Preetam and Konz lead the team in medals for the year.

"The women in this boat have committed to supporting each other, as they have supported all their teammates throughout the year," said Coach Preetam. "What is truly exciting about this group of women is that they have the capacity to be one of the fastest boats in the country. I don't think they have put together a complete race yet. This is really exciting as they have untapped speed that we know they will harness at Youth Nationals."

Afternoon racing brought U17 competitions and second events for both Emiko Kubach and John Walish. Kubach took gold in the women's U17 single in a dramatic final sprint where she passed three boats in the final stretch. Kubach had entered the race after finishing fifth in time trials out of 11 contenders in a performance shortly after her women's youth double time trial. The win marks the second consecutive year Kubach has qualified for Nationals, and will be her first appearance.

CRC's day concluded as it had begun with a medal, this time gold for David Bauml and John Walish in the men's U17 double. The boys had taken first in the time trials in a field of 14. Their victory will bring a return to Nationals for both rowers, and marks the third straight year of a gold finish at Mid Atlantics for Walish, having previously gone on to win silver and gold at Nationals.

"The gold winning races of our two youngest boats were each decided by about half a second, with closing sprints making the difference in the final meters," said Coach Dylan Green. "Emiko surged to pass multiple boats in the final 200 meters. David and John took the lead and fought off a great contender making a last minute move to try to pass them but they weren't going to give up their gold. These athletes found a way to dig deeper even when they'd already given it everything they could and still found a way to give even more."

The next stop for the season will be the US Rowing Youth National Championship, taking place June 12 - 15 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. This will be the final team race for the team's three seniors, each of whom is heading to the Charles River for college: Aubrey Lewis to Boston University, Beatrix Lay to Harvard University, and Rainer Arendt to Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"Nats may be the final race of the season but it's not the final chapter for these talented rowers," said Coach Bill McNabb. "We will be cheering on our graduating seniors and gearing up for next year with our four juniors, four sophomores, and one freshman as we build on this year's successes and look to raise the bar even higher in our second year. Their potential is unlimited and we can't wait to see what they do next."

The Conshohocken Rowing Center Junior Competitive Race Team is composed of 12 high school rowers from across the region who were selected for their dedication, achievement, and performance on and off the water. The team is based in Conshohocken under the leadership of CRC executive director Craig Hoffman, head coach Aaron Preetam, and coaches Bill McNabb and Dylan Green who collectively bring more than 100 years of rowing expertise and mentorship to the program. For information, visit conshohockenrowingcenter.org. Interested rowers can apply for consideration at https://forms.gle/yZX7GdwsHRrHduQq8 .

Hometowns and Schools for CRC Juniors:

Rainer Arendt (17), Philadelphia, PA (Julia R. Masterman School '25)
Rowan Arendt (15), Philadelphia, PA (Central High School '27)
David Bauml (15), Gladwyne, PA (Harriton High School '28)
Piper Konz (16), Ambler, PA (Abington Friends School '26)
Emiko Kubach (15), Wayne, PA (The Agnes Irwin School '27)
John Hiester (17), Wynnewood, PA (Harriton High School '26)
Beatrix Lay (17), Bryn Mawr, PA (The Grayson School '25)
Aubrey Lewis (18), Wayne, PA (Conestoga High School '25)
Molly Murphy (16), Bryn Mawr, PA (Harriton High School '26)
Graciela Preetam (16), Philadelphia, PA (Germantown Friends School '26)
Egypt Strickland (16), King of Prussia, PA (Upper Merion High School '27)
John Walish (15), Wayne, PA (University Scholars Program, PALCS '27)

Gold Medalists in Women’s Youth Quad: Head Coach Aaron Preetam, Graciela Preetam, Beatrix Lay, Egypt Strickland, Piper Konz, and Coach Dylan Green