May 2024

NEWSLETTER - MAY 2024

May marks in a certain way the end of the rowing season. The USRowing National Championships for the Juniors are in the beginning of June and would be the last national highpoint for any junior team in the US. From that point on, only athletes who would like to participate at the Junior World Rowing Championships’ (this year in St. Catharines CAN) continue.

May is the month in which every team in the US tries to qualify for the US Nationals through the regional Championships. For Florida it is the South-East Regional Championship. Placing fourth will bring you to one of the biggest Junior Rowing events in the world - our National Champs … this year held in Sarasota.

The Scullers entered four teams to the Championships, read below what happened.

Stem To Stern (Please Read)

Hi Parents, Athletes, and Supporters!

Leon speaking, I have an exciting announcement! I have the great honor of being one of the 40 athletes around the US who are taking part in the Stem to Stern summer ambassador program and the only one in Sarasota! In short, the STEM to Stern program uses rowing to bring people together across racial and socioeconomic boundaries. By creating diverse rowing teams, we foster relationships that change lives and improve society.  In a country as divided as it is, STEM to Stern is a program that shows what is possible when we come together. My job this summer as an ambassador is to spread awareness about rowing and show that this sport isn’t just limited to a certain group of people and collect $5,000 from our community. ($100,000 overall between all ambassadors) These donations will be used to fund all stem to stern programs around the US and possible our program in the near future. I plan raise these funds by hosting a couple of events this summer and spread our mission, but I can’t do this without my team, amazing parents, and supporters. I’ll be sending out more information soon on the plan!!!

If you would like to contact me for more information, please email or text me:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 941-600-9995

If you would like to learn more about this amazing organization, use this link. 

https://www.stemtosternrowing.org/

If anyone would already like to donate a please click this below

(We are a 501(c)3, so please contact me if you would like the document)

https://donorbox.org/sts-summer/fundraiser/leon-chen

Below: What your donations go towards.

Pictures from the last couple days and week of May

RACING THE SOUTH EAST REGIONALS

The Scullers showed up with four teams at our Regional Championships. In 2024 our team grew in numbers and potential - but at this point we have to give all of them credit that they are just month in the boat and nearly all of them Novice. Nevertheless - all of our young girls and boys wanted to take the opportunity and race against the big kids from other clubs … how did this turn out …

Matej - Sage - Jesse - Cameron 4x

Our veteran in the boat is 13 year old Jesse. Already two years at the Scullers he became the leader of three newbies: Sage, Matej and Cameron. While Jesse knew what to expect the other three went innocent into their race. Finish fourth in their Heat of the U17 Boys 4x was a big task. Coming to the start in time for three Novice athletes was already a big thing … but then racing 2k is another ballgame. What can we say - they did well. The strong start - Sage as the stroke of the boat in charge of stroke rate and the steering never got frustrated and brought his team down to the finish line. Close to the second last place - fight for honor.

The race talk after their only race was great - as a coach you have to bring the team together and everybody in an understanding what happened … but with these four boys it was a easy task. Sage stepped in and announced how skeptical he was before the race and in the training and and and … but he came to the conclusion that he was proud to race with all of them. As a coach proud of this majored team - I send them into their well-earned summer holiday.

Ava 1x

The girls U19 1x … one of the toughest events of the competition. All “older” girls already ready to move on to college and therefore in their prime condition - mentally and physically. But Ava who still did not turn 17 and figuring out how to row the 1x - was determined to show her best. The first hurdle was to be top 14 to go to the next round - the Semi Final. With 13th best time she progressed to her big goal. With being one of the best girls in Florida she gained confidences for her Semi Final. Together the first 1k but then she needed to accept that the other girls are still better. Unfortunately, there are no B-Final at the Championship, so that she will look back to the event as one of the 14 best rowers of Florida.

Sydney and Iyar 2x

Sydney and Iyar rowed the event already in 2023. Last year they fought themself into the Semifinal as the underdogs. In 2024 both girls aimed to become finalists.

The entries in 2024 have been less - so that just a Time Trial would decide if both would make it. 15 boats lined up and single file boat by boat raced down the course. The first seven will reach the a-Final. Not really knowing during the race of the Time Trial which position you are in - forces every boat to be 100%. As you can see in the picture below - Sydney and Iyar technically raced a great race … and finished eigths … unfortunately less than a second behind 7th. The dream shattered but both ready for a great training year in the 2024-2025 season in which both want to join the new Scullers Performance group.

Lilly - Anise - Kayla - Isabella - Elton 4x+

Our U15 4x+ qualified themself already for the Youth Nationals - with only four entries … all four boats would be eligible to participate.

Saturday a race for lanes (unfortunately also in a Time Trial format) would determine how our girls compare to their opponents.

A close 3rd place behind 2nd made our team excited for the A-Final on Sunday.

With Greg from WinTech - me as a coach and the parents as a supporting team - our team was ready to race their race of their live. The boat checked and double checked our girls brought it down to the dock.

The boat in the water - the girls ready and nervous … slipping into their shoes - closing their oar locks and rowing up to the start. Elton under control of the team and ready to bring them home in their first race for a medal.

As the race starts - we are all at the beach of the NBP course and waiting to see our girls fighting. What we did not know was - Lillys oar popped out of her oarlock - what she closed so firmly (wrong) - after 100m … as times goes by the boats also. No frustrating enough at the 300m mark - the same happens to Kayla. Her oar - swimming besides the boat - brought back - put back into the oarlock - time goes by and by - while her opponents rowing far away.

Now - finally ready - our girls started racing. Getting closer and closer back to the field. Passing the astonished coach, Greg and parents (who still had no idea what happened) but at the end not catching up enough.

What a pity.

The girls back - looking astonished in their faces - laughing about the mishap and being ready for the years ahead.

THANK YOU - WINTECH

2024 Sarasota Scullers teamed up with WinTech. Every regatta in Sarasota - WINTECH brought their amazing boats to the Nathan Benderson Park. Greg (see picture below right) supported not only whole America - but also our team with boats. From 2x to 4+ … all the boats we needed - perfectly rigged - perfectly timed and prepared … the Scullers are happy to be ambassadors for this amazing team of WinTech and their boats.

Thank you, Dave, Stephan and of course the best of all GREG KING

MOMENTS OF OUR ATHLETES (no commend)