Lake Oswego rowers to compete at nationals

Athletes with the Lake Oswego Rowing Club will compete against rowers from across the nation in the US Rowing Youth National Championships June 6-9 in Sarasota, Florida.

The team, which practices at Roehr City Park along the Willamette River in town, qualified four groups to the national event. Those include Owen Benincosa in the Men’s Youth 1x, Kolos Varga, Josh Gerwitz, Ryan Weinstein and Nick Katko in the Mens Youth 4-, Keve Varga, Owen Benincosa, Santeri Martin, Logan Davis and Laurel Vanagas (coxswain) in the Men’s Youth 4+ and Saxon Kitchin, Marshall Landers, Mario Welliver, Ryan Li and Skye Neal (coxswain) in the Mens U164x+.

To obtain placement in nationals, crews must attend a recognized qualification regatta, place in one of the Youth National Championship events and receive a bid. Lake Oswego’s teams placed in the top four at regionals to qualify for the event.

“Our success this season at LOCR was achieved through persistent hard work of the rowers as well as excellent coaching from Coach Rudy and Coach Kyle,” Gerwitz said in a press release.

Coach Rudy Ryback added: “We are excited to send some real contenders to the National Championships this year. The

race continues to grow into the marquee event for youth rowing. All the crews have really earned their bids with hard work, teamwork, and an insatiable desire to get better.”

For more information on the club, visit https://lorowing.com/.