By: Georgia Kaufman

Opinion Editor

The Los Gatos Rowing Club (LGRC) began their 2022-2023 season with a bang. After a successful summer racing season in Sarasota, Florida, for Youth National Championships (YNC), the squads are ready for an even more exciting and successful season.

After winning two national championship titles in June, both the Men’s and Women’s Varsity teams have continued to make a greater name for themselves in the rowing community. The Men’s U17 4+ and the Women’s Youth 1x (single sculls) both won first place at YNC, including Los Gatos juniors Taj Chunawala and Diego Lasso.

As of now, LGRC’s Varsity teams are practicing their usual 16 hour weeks, senior Miles Kramer spoke on how the amount of time he puts into practices affects his outlook on rowing. He admits, “spending so much time really challenges my commitment to the sport and pushes me to do better for myself and others.”

Senior Alberto Lasso spent his summer prepping for and rowing in Varese, Italy, for junior world championships. A. Lasso and fellow LGRC rower, Bellarmine senior Jonas Thieme, trained for about ten weeks to attend worlds in a 2- (pair), and won their time trial. This sent them straight to Italy after placing second in the Men’s Youth 4x at YNC, as well as Kramer and senior Ian Moss. 

Junior Lucie Boillet worked long and hard this summer so she would be able to make top boats right off the bat in the fall season. After exponential progress in her first spring season as a novice rower, Boillet quickly made her way to the top of her team. She will be attending the Head of  the Charles Regatta (HOCR) in Boston, Massachusetts in the 4x+ (coxed quad). On the topic of summer training, Boillet admitted, “Although I took a break from being at the boathouse, I kept up my momentum by staying active with friends, running, and going to the gym.”

Both Men’s and Women’s Varsity are bringing entries to the annual prestigious HOCR, racing Oct. 21 to Oct. 23. The men are bringing three boats, an 8+, 4+, and 4x+, and the women are bringing two boats, an 8+ and a 4x+. The LGHS students that will be attending include: seniors A. Lasso, Kramer, Moss, Uma Kausik, Hannah Jenkins, Georgia Kaufman, Julia Kiplinger, Ethan Kim, Evan Foster, and Dylan Rosenblum. Also including juniors Chunawala, D. Lasso, Boillet, Annika Sivi, Sarah Drabkin, Finley Slater, Kyle Brown, Dillon Yoo, and sophomore Harri Cheetham.