Vashon Island Rowing Club wins big at American Lake

October 17, 2018 1:30 am
Vashon’s Junior quad carries their boat, “Passport 2 Pain,” to the water, ahead of their gold medal row at American Lake. This is the lineup that’s headed to Boston this week to row at Head of the Charles. From left to right: Rohin Petram, Oz Hichens, Tor Ormseth (hidden behind the boat) and Bowie Hichens (Jordan Petram photo).
Vashon’s Junior quad carries their boat, “Passport 2 Pain,” to the water, ahead of their gold medal row at American Lake. This is the lineup that’s headed to Boston this week to row at Head of the Charles. From left to right: Rohin Petram, Oz Hichens, Tor Ormseth (hidden behind the boat) and Bowie Hichens (Jordan Petram photo).

Rowing in perfect fall conditions, Vashon Island Rowing Club medaled in 14 of the 16 events it entered last Sunday at the American Lake Fall Classic in Lakewood, Washington. The successful performance at American Lake included nine gold medals and offered a final confidence boost heading into next weekend’s Head of the Charles regatta in Boston, one of the world’s most competitive rowing showcases.

Vashon will take a dozen rowers and two coxswains to Boston this weekend. All returned from American Lake with a gold medal finish. The Men’s Junior quad won its race in commanding fashion with their lineup of Rohin Petram, Tor Ormseth, Bowie Hichens and Oz Hichens.

Next week on the Charles River in Boston, they’ll row with coxswain Aidan Teachout steering the crowded, three-mile course that will take his Vashon crew beneath six bridges along the way.

Vashon’s Women’s Masters Eight also won gold, pulling away to an open water win over Lake Union and Commencement Bay. With Lisa Huggenvik in the cox seat, the Boston-bound Vashon women are Kit Gruver, Zabette Macomber, Erika Bartkute-Lanske, Sarah Eden, Amy Bogaard, Norine Martinsen, Lea Heffernan and Su DeWalt.

“Both of our Boston boats were waiting on the water together before our races,” said Gruver. “It was very fun to share the experience of gold with them today. We all needed that shot in the arm for next week’s race.”

Among the other notable performances at American Lake was a gold for the Women’s Junior Novice 8, featuring three novice girls from Vashon rowing in a composite lineup with Renton Rowing Club. Rohin Petram won his race in the Men’s Open single. Oz and Bowie Hichens won in the Men’s Jr. Varsity double. Vashon’s Junior JV men’s quad scored a first place finish, and Vashon coach Ben Steele, rowing for Vashon in composite lineups, took gold in both the Men’s Masters Quad and Mixed Double events.

“It is rewarding to see steady progress at VIRC,” said Coach Steele. “What I look for is improvement as rowers and people. Not only did we have great results, but the team worked really well together and loved every second of it.”

— Jeff Hoyt, VIRC masters rower