Lowell crew impresses on Charles

The Lowell High School crew team traveled to Cambridge, MA this weekend to compete in the 44th annual head of the Charles Regatta. More than 8,400 athletes from 19 different countries competed during the two-day event.

The boys’ four (Cameron Crockett, Josiah Todd, Harry Finch, Ian Finn and Mike McKeon) had a phenomenal showing, placing 14th out of 71 boats in their race, 10th among crews from the United States and 3rd among public high schools. The boys pulled an 18:09 for the 3-mile course, less than one minute behind first place finisher St. Catherine’s Rowing Club of Canada. Their performance earned the team an automatic entry into next year’s regatta.

The evening prior to their race, the boys participated in a fundraiser event for the MSCure Fund, where they spent time with members of the men’s US Olympic team, as well as para-olympic medalist and MS patient Laura Shwanger. On race day, Finn, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis almost two years ago, wore a Race for the Cure unisuit, while his teammates and Lowell High School crew alumni wore orange armbands to show their support for the cause and for Ian.

Several LHS rowing alumni raced at the Charles as well, including Shalmai Rivera (Bowdoin – 5th Place), Lauren LaPointe (Ithaca College – 6th Place), Bryan McKeon (Iona – 9th Place), Robbie Walters (UMass Lowell – 10th Place), Shamir Rivera (Bowdoin, 22nd Place), Ianna Hondorus-McCarthy (UMass Lowell – 25th Place), Amber Zapatka (UMass Lowell – 25th Place), and Katy Nowoswiat (Clark University – 34th Place). In addition, LHS/UML coach Jen Bauer raced in the club eights event for Essex Rowing Club in Methuen.

The Lowell High School girls’ eight (Natali Soto, Kate Mackenzie, Tess Cigliano, Rachel Walsh, Jessica Burke, Arianna Rogers, Aly Hall, Liz Larocque and Lauren Dubois) had a good showing, placing 45th out of 68 crews, and second among Massachusetts public programs, which bodes well for this Sunday’s state championships in Worcester, MA, which concludes the season for the varsity squad, while the novice team will race once more at the Merrimack Chase in November.

The LHS boys’ four with members of the 2008 USA Men’s Olympic Rowing team.