North Allegheny opens fall season with strong performance at Head of the Ohio
by: Rowing Contributor
On Sunday, October 6, North Allegheny Rowing kicked off its 2024 fall racing season at the Head of the Ohio, where they displayed remarkable talent across 17 entries on the scenic 4,100-meter course that runs through downtown Pittsburgh. With sunny skies and flat water, the Tigers took full advantage of the ideal conditions, delivering a series of impressive performances.
The day began on a high note with the Women’s U19 4x crew (Kathy Zema, Charlee Sunday, Madison Lambert, and Alex Witzel), who set the tone by cliniching second place, earning the team’s first medal of the day. Shortly after, the Women’s U19 4+ (Boe Sumerlin, Alexandra Efors, Natalie Helffrich, Vanessa Edfors, and coxswain Abby Berger) fought hard and finished in a competitive 10th place. Abby Greiner and Jocelyn Munroe took the course next in the Women’s U17 2x event, where their solid performance earned them a respectable fifth place finish.
The Tigers claimed their first gold medal of the day in the Men’s U19 2x, as Miles Rees and Anthony Bertucci showcased their speed, finishing over 20 seconds ahead of the competition. Carson Corona and Layton Wright followed, finishing just shy of the podium in fourth place, only 0.3 seconds off the bronze. Roman Bellisario and Nolan Bunn had a strong showing, finishing seventh and leaving the water proud of their race. In the Men’s U17 4x event, North Allegheny had two boats competing. The crew of Cooper Lemon, Alex Repinski, Neil Pore, and Christian Sperandeo brought home a silver medal, while Nik Kshirsagar, Max Disque, Daniel Choi, and Suraj Raina finished fourth.
A highlight of the day was the debut of the novice rowers. James Hamed, Ryan Lovejoy, Yuantao Tang, Stephen Webber-Plank, and coxswain Tai Luangkesorn raced in the Men’s Novice 4+ and secured third place, meaning their entry into competitive rowing ended with a medal. The novice women (Ananya Doizhode, Greta Edors, Louisa Patel, Natalie Patel, and coxswain Emma Coca) also made their racing debut in the Women’s Novice 4+, finishing fifth. The Men’s Novice 8+, with James Hamed, Ryan Lovejoy, Yuantao Tang, Emmett Robleto, Stephen Webber-Plank, Daniel Choi, Matthew Collins, Tai Luangkesorn, and coxswain Ava Moore, rounded out the novice events with a strong second place finish.
The varsity rowers returned to the water for their second races of the day. The Women’s U19 8+ crew (Alex Witzel, Boe Sumerlin, Madison Lambert, Kathy Zema, Charlee Sunday, Alexandra Edfors, Natalie Helffrich, Vanessa Edfors, and coxswain Lauren Keyser) put forth a determined effort, finishing fifth in a competitive race, just three seconds behind the third place finishers. The Men’s U17 2x event showcased the Tigers’ depth, as Alex Repinksi and Christian Sperandeo secured the team’s second gold medal, with Nik Kshirsagar and Suraj Raina securing bronze. Max Disque and Cooper Lemon finished ninth, contributing to a strong showing in this field.
The day concluded with two entries in the Men’s U19 4x event. The first quad, consisting of Miles Rees, Carson Corona, Anthony Bertucci, and Layton Wright, earned a silver medal, closely trailing local competitors Fox Chapel. The second quad, featuring Roman Bellisario, Grady Stoll, Neil Pore, and Nolan Bunn, crossed the line in fourth place, rounding out an outstanding day for the Tigers.
With an impressive array of medals and strong performances across the board, the Tigers are set to continue their momentum as they prepare for the Head of the Muskingum in Marietta, OH, next weekend, where they will race on a 3-mile course. The future looks bright for North Allegheny Rowing as they embark on their fall racing season!
