June 15, 2011
BERKELEY -
Eight incoming California women's rowers competed at the 2011 USRowing Youth National Championships, which were held in Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn., from June 10-12. Four of the eight future Golden Bears medalled in the event, including two first-place finishers.
The USRowing Youth National Championships features more than 1,500 athletes from high school and junior rowing programs across the country competing for national titles in 18 boat classes.
Maddie Wolf (eight +) and Maria Maydan (quad) were the two rowers to take first place in their races. Wolf, participating for the Marin Rowing Association, took first when her boat defeated the Connecticut Boat Club in the final after the CBC had won each of the preliminary heats. One of Wolf's future teammates, Maddie Stearns, was rowing on that CBC boat that placed third. Lindsey Meltz with the Upper Natoma club also raced in the eight final, finishing in ninth.
Anne Duvall with the Marina Aquatic Center was the fourth rower to medal. Competing on the four (4+), Duvall took second place in her final.
Brea Willey with the Long Beach club took fifth in the lightweight eight, while Sage Purkey and Naomi Hester of the River City club rowed as part of the quad and garnered an eighth-place finish.
These eight rowers and the rest of the incoming class will join a Cal team that ended its season with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships back on May 29. The Bears had previously won their fourth straight Pac-10 Championship on May 15.
