Victory at 2022 Texas State Rowing Championships
Dallas, April 2022 White caps on White Rock Lake were the featured obstacle at this Year's Texas State Rowing Championship. Windy conditions, with gusts up to 31 miles per hour plagued the Dallas venue on Saturday, postponing most of the events until Sunday morning. The race hosts and officials did the best they could, given the April North Texas Weather.
The Founders team had not yet participated in competitions this spring, and were a bit unsure, not knowing where they stood in the field of Texas elite rowers. This year, in an unusual twist, the Founders Team included two male rowers. Quinn and Conlan Diamond started a strong trend with their first place finish in the boys pair. They were followed in the competition by Founder's veteran U17 rower, Olivia Knight, who also came in first in the U17 Single. Novice Ava Hoefert finished only 30 seconds behind a very strong Knight, giving us a sense of what we might see from her next year!
Founders was aggressive in the field of Doubles, lining up 4 duo's to take on the rest of the state. Southlake Carroll Juniors, Maile Nelson and Sophia Rhodes finished with a decisive 5 second lead over #2. While the team of Ashley Hall and Olivia Knight were right there at the front and earned a bronze in the event. The wind began to gust as this race began and the athletes fought not only their competition bough very rough waters.
The final event of the day put both Founders Varsity Quad boats in a very accomplished field, where there was certainly tension as to where the club would stand. One of our boats, with Ashley Hall, Camille Egger, Sophia Rhodes and Maile Nelson, had a fast start taking the lead immediately. Overall the race was close, but with 750 meters remaining in this race, Founders accelerated, eventually beating the field by 9 seconds.
Founders Rowing Club is a team focussed not only on achieving great things on the water. They help each other and are almost a family. In fact, speaking of families, while many teams have a hands-off policy; keeping parents away from the boats; Founders operates a bit differently. The team is so small, that if 8 of 10 rowers are competing in an event; parents become the oar managers. It's a good culture and every parent is proud of each individual on the team as if she were their own.
This competition was a fantastic kick off to the 2022 Season. Founders has 6 seniors graduating this spring, and will definitely want to send them off with a high note. They are off to a great start.