Returning to racing in the Textile Regatta in Lowell for the first time since fall 2019, Wayland-Weston Crew dominated the start of its fall season, as all four of the team’s boys and girls first and second varsity 8+ boats took medals in first and second place.

As veterans of the Wayland-Weston Rowing Association can tell you, “If it’s hot at home, it’s hotter in Lowell. If it’s cold at home, it’s colder in Lowell.” And on Sunday, October 2, it was windy at home…and windier in Lowell. Wayland-Weston athletes powered through choppy currents and winds of 20 mph along the Merrimack River’s 4,500 meter course. As Varsity Girls captain Siena Flanigon described, “The windy conditions certainly threw a curve ball at us, but everyone stayed positive and performed to the best of their ability. I was impressed by the focus of every squad at the regatta.”

Taking first place in a field of 14 boats was the Girls Varsity 8+ (Alice Weeple as coxswain; Maddie Genis, Natalia Serov, Liepa Kazlas, Riley Reynolds, Jacqueline Stjernfeldt, Ava Balukonis, Siena Flanigon, Sophia Xie). The Boys Varsity 8+( Sophie Roman as coxswain, Conall Lane, Sean Balbale, Miles Reynolds, Zachary Kano, Daniel McDonald, Theodore Dahl, Andrew Orio, Thomas Lee) took bronze in its field of 17 boats.

Wayland-Weston’s 2nd varsity boats both took silver in their events, with the Girls 2 V8+ (Clara Sin as coxswain, Maya Noyes, Gretta Santangelo, Eilidh McVie, Riley Kendall, Patricia Pak, Jay Fu, Julia DeGrenier, Clara Walsh) placing second in a field of 19 boats, and the Boys 2 V8+ (Max Markarian as coxswain, Liam Moore, Nicholas Melnichenko, Graham Schwendt, Magnus Starrett, Kevin Liew, Mattias Johansson, Liam Munford, Henrik Stjernfeldt) within 10 seconds of rivals Friends of Brookline. The boys third varsity 8+ boat (Giovanni Sebastianelli as coxswain, Ryan McInerney, Spencer Dobson, Alexander Melnichenko, Tanas Kazlas, Matthew Colsman, William Shimada-Brand, Arvin Hedayat, Evan Brown) made a great showing in their event, which combined teams’ second and third varsity 8+ boats. Placing eighth overall, the boat was second among the race’s third varsity boats.

Similarly, Wayland-Weston made a strong showing across the Girls 4+ event combining teams’ second and third varsity boats. Winning silver in a field of 25 boats were Clara Sin as coxswain, Liepa Kazlas, Riley Kendall, Maddie Genis, and Sophia Xie. Placing eighth of the 25 (and third among the 3V boats) were Nandhana Nair as coxswain, Maya Noyes, Jillian Segel, Penelope Biddle and Addison Nugent. The first Girls 4+ boat (Alice Weeple, Siena Flanigon, Jacqueline Stjernfeldt, Ava Balukonis, Riley Reynolds) placed seventh in its highly competitive field of 20 boats.

Wayland-Weston’s novice (first year) boys and girls’ 4+ boats took to the water in, for many of them, their first regatta, gaining valuable experience to take forward to their next competition. With the high winds and choppy waters, the Textile Regatta ultimately canceled races for novice 8+ boats. But despite the disappointment for these WW boats, who were geared up and ready to race, both boys and girls novice teams handled disappointment with grace, bringing their enthusiasm and positive energy to WW overall.

WW Crew program director and varsity girls coach Mike Baker was pleased with the day, saying, “What a great way to start the season. Not knowing what speed we have going into the first regatta is always nerve-racking, but equally exciting. All squads showed a level of focus that is very impressive, but most importantly, it paid off out on the water. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do this weekend in Worcester, where we’ll see the same competition as we did this past weekend, but a few more, faster, crews.”

Up next for WW Crew is the 13th Annual New England Junior and High School Fall Championship Regatta, a two-day head race on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester.