Rowing Preview

Rower to Watch

Kyle Browne, Robinson, Senior

Last April after finishing a 2000 meter erg test, a grueling workout that measures a rower's ability, Browne learned a rival rower had beaten his time.

"Listen, you're only a couple seconds behind this other guy," Robinson boys' coach John Barrett told him.

Barrett recalled Browne saying he would try to catch him. The next day, Browne showed up 30 minutes before practice and took the test again. This time, he didn't finish second.

"He's very determined. He's very fearless," Barrett said. "There's nothing he thinks that he can't do."

Last summer Browne, who plans to row for the Naval Academy, attended the U.S. junior national team selection camp, an honor given to the country's 30 best rowers.

Around the Area

After a 2007 season in which their only loss came to Canada's national champion, the Jefferson boys' varsity eight will have to prove themselves again. The eight seniors who propelled the Colonials to victory at the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Championship and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta have graduated, and the team has a new coach.

New coach Todd Jesdale won nine championships in 12 years at Cornell University and also has led the U.S. junior national team to a gold and two silver medals in world championship competition. Last spring Jesdale led Britain's Shrewsbury School to the Princess Elizabeth Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta, which attracts the best teams from Europe, South Africa, Australia and the United States. Jefferson was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Canada's Brentwood College School, which lost in the finals to Jesdale's Shrewsbury squad.

Senior Chris Gear competed at the FISA World Rowing Junior Championships in Beijing last summer. Jesdale's top boat will be stocked with rowers who placed second in the second eight at last year's the Stotesbury Cup Regatta.

St. Albans, which won the boys' varsity eight, second eight and freshman eight at last year's National Capital Championships, will have to replace the loss of All-Mets Alex Mastroyannis and Gabe Middendorf. Senior Nick Bax, an All-Met in cross country and accomplished cyclist, will lead the team.

The Robinson girls' varsity eight looks to be the strongest team in the area. The Rams return seven girls from last year's boat, which won the Virginia state championship. They are led by All-Met senior Bianca Arrington, who will row at Alabama, and senior Lauren Griffin, who will row at George Mason.

"Our team's on a mission to raise the bar to a level it's never been at Robinson," said Coach Rob Wasalaski. They're aiming to repeat at states, and be competitive at nationals. The team will skip the Stotesbury Cup Regatta to focus on SRAA Nationals, which are held in Oak Ridge, Tenn., May 23-24.

One of Robinson's local challengers might be Wilson. Last year the Tigers had the best girls' varsity eight boat in Maryland and the District. They have five of their eight top rowers back, including one of the area's best, All-Met senior Katherine O'Keefe. O'Keefe dominated the junior women's Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints in February, winning by 19.3 seconds.

This spring marks a reorganization of the governing bodies overseeing Virginia, District and Maryland rowing teams. Since last season, the majority of Maryland and District rowing programs left NCASRA for independent status, and they're planning to form an official league this summer. The teams already have scheduled an informal championship, dubbed the Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Rowing Championships, on May 10.

One of the reasons for the split was that NCASRA followed Virginia High School League rules, yet has members from the District and Maryland. One side effect of the split is that Maryland and District school will be able row year-round. NCASRA's rules don't allow team practices in the fall, in accordance with Virginia public school rules.

-- Matt McFarland