After a solid September build-up, Burton Beach’s junior rowers finally had their first regatta of the autumn, the annual Tail of the Lake on Lake Union.
Virtually all of the major players in the Seattle rowing scene were there, and it was a good early-season test for the island-based team.
BBRC’s first victory of the day came from the junior boys quad of Davis Kelly, Jordon Rutschow, Brian DeLoach and Joe Barnes. The crew had a great race with the always solid Kelly stroking and some excellent work by second-year rower Barnes, who steered an outstanding course.
One of the highlights of the day was the win in the novice boys quadruple sculls, coxed by Olivia Sherman. Stroke Simon Grant and Braden Edwards were joined by Sean Ryland, who has only been rowing for a week, and 12-year old Keziah Rutschow. As BBRC only has three novice boys, Rutschow was kindly given dispensation by the organizers to row in a boys’ boat so that BBRC could compete.
Keziah continued her winning ways in the final flight racing in the Under 17 girls 4x. This was always going to be a big challenge for BBRC, as last year’s version of this boat had three rowers who ended up rowing in national team colors this past summer. This year’s boat was far younger, stroked by second-year rower Jewel Wass de Czege, with eigth graders Rutschow and Dexy Richmond in the middle and 16-year old “veteran” Ava Lorentzen in the bow. Lorentzen showed amazing leadership and steering abilities and guided her young crew to an eight-second victory over a strong Pocock entry.
Rounding out the medal finishes were the women’s coxed four of Kate Kelly, Ros Belscheidt, Wass de Czege, Lorentzen and coxswain Alex Ryan, with Kelly and Belscheidt doubling up to row the pair. Both of these entries attained bronze behind some superb Holy Names entries. DeLoach and Jordon Rutschow also finished a very creditable fourth out of 13 entries in the junior boys’ double sculls, missing the medals by one second.
Next up for Burton Beach is the American Lake Fall Classic, which will feature a homecoming visit from BBRC alumni Mabel Moses, currently in her first year of rowing at the University of British Columbia.
— Sarah Edwards is a parent of a rower on the Burton Beach Rowing Team.
