Vashon Island Rowing Club has been attending the regatta since its junior program began in 1997, medaling in four events at this year’s event.

VIRC’s Riley Lynch finished second in the Under-19 women’s single and Rohin Petram took third in the men’s single event.

“It was nice to finally have flat water and be able to show all the hard work I put in at practice,” said Lynch. “I was very happy with the way I raced and even happier to come to shore to all my teammates.”

VIRC’s Under-19 novice men’s quad (Lex Rosen, Nic Winkler, Renz O’Meara, Ryan Weller and cox Jenni Fossan) took second and turned in the fastest time by an American entry in the event by 12 seconds. Then came the biggest nail-biter of the weekend for VIRC, as Joshua Kyles and Baker VanBuren immediately replaced O’Meara and Weller in the quad to go back to the starting line for the Under-17 novice men’s quad final, somehow still finishing third.

“The racing was great,” said VIRC Junior Coordinator Summer Rosen. “Our cheering was so loud that you could hear us on the live feed that was being broadcast to everyone back home.”

Coach Ben Steele praised the group.

“The whole team put in a lot of work to come to this moment,” he said. “And it all came full circle with the great effort this weekend.”

— Jeff Hoyt