Sports
Nyack Rowers Claim Gold
The River Rowing Association competed in a national rowing competition this past weekend—and secured first place.
This past weekend, the River Rowing Association (RRA) proved last year's victory at nationals was no fluke.
The Nyack-based Club Quad shell successfully defended its title on Sunday at the USRowing Masters National Championships on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ.
The event attracted a flotilla representing 137 clubs nationwide.
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The rowers, with the group's president Ivan Rudolph-Shabinsky at bow and Nyack's Tom Chyla at the critical stroke position, led all the way and held off the runner-up Virginia Boat Club by less than a second. New York Athletic Club (NYAC) was a close third in the field of six finalists.
The RAA clocked a well-earned 3 minutes 16.79 seconds against a stiff headwind.
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"Last year we finished in 3:10, but the conditions were very different," Rudolph-Shabinsky recalled. "We didn't have to fight the wind."
On Sunday second-place Virginia timed 3 minutes 17.57 seconds, and the NYAC was timed in 3 minutes 18.67 seconds
"It was close all the way, it was an awesome, competitive race," Rudolph-Shabinsky added.
Now a two-time defending champ, the RAA had South Nyack's Joe Devoe, new to the boat, at the No. 2 position and Nyack's Peter Klose, another veteran returnee, at No. 3.
The RAA's championship run actually began on Thursday evening with the tandem of Ron and Rebeca Linhart of Congers. The father and daughter defeated their opponents from Saugatuck, a large world-class rowing program based in Westport, CT.
The Linharts won by .27 of a second, a victory made more impressive because the elder Linhart is a complete novice who joined the RAA's adult program last winter. Of course, dad had an experienced helping hand in Rebeca, a senior at Clarkstown North and star from the club's youth program. According to well-placed sources, she rallied the team at the end.
"Rebeca is the reason we did so well," said her father, who added he loves the water, but probably not as much as his daughter. "[She] rows all three seasons and works out with the team in the winter months. She also works part-time four days a week and when school is in session—she amazes me how she juggles it all. Because Rebeca enjoyed rowing so much, I figured I should give it a try."
Anyone interested in the various RAA programs can visit the association's website.
