Los Alamitos High School student, Katy Newmarker and teamate Reilly Hayes, representing Long Beach Junior Crew, made 2013 history by winning gold medals in the Double and the Quad, making them the only women rowers this year to win two gold medals, at the recent US Rowing Junior Nationals at Melton Lake, outside Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Friday at the start of racing Katy and Reilly showed their intention of finishing their season undefeated in the Double. In the heats on Friday, the girls quickly moved into the 1st place position and never gave a meter to the 2nd place boat, moving directly to the Semi’s on Saturday afternoon. Racing was delayed an hour on Saturday due to fog but when it was time to race the Doubles semis the girls were ready. They moved into 1st place and kept opening their lead over 2nd, finishing 1st in their race and in times overall for the women’s varsity Double races. Sunday, racing was delayed again because of fog, Katy and Reilly spent their time planning their strategy for the race of their career. The girls had only one thought in mind as they moved to the starting line…waiting for the start. They knew what they wanted, and that was their 1st gold medal of the day. Katy and Reilly moved in to the lead position and gradually pulled away from the other boats until they crossed the finish line.
In the Quad, Katy, Reilly, Savannah Moody (Los Alamitos High) and Megan Anderson (St. Anthony) quickly hit their stride and never looked back, finishing 1st in each of their heats and semis and 1st in overall time. Sunday morning they climbed in their boat to race for the gold medal, Katy and Reilly knowing they could earn their 2nd gold of the day, were ready to go all out to realize their dream. Savannah and Megan were ready to earn their own gold medals and ready to help their teammates make 2013 history by winning their 2nd gold medal. As soon as the their oars hit the water to begin the race, they began to move the boat to the lead position and began to increase their lead steadily, leaving the rest of the field to fight for the silver medal as the gold was wrapped up.
Katy and Reilly were the only two women rowers at this year’s US Rowing Junior Nationals to earn two gold medals. Katy and Reilly have rowed for Long Beach Junior Crew for the past four years and are the 2013 US Rowing Southwest Regionals Double, Quad and Four + Coxswain and the US Rowing Junior National 2012 Silver medalists. Katy Newmarker is a 2013 graduate of Los Alamitos High School and will be attending UCLA in September on a full-ride rowing scholarship. Reilly Hayes is a 2013 graduate of Poly High, Long Beach, and will be attending Stanford University in the fall. Savannah Moody, a Los Alamitos High School 2013 graduate, will be attending SMU in the fall. Megan Anderson will be entering her senior year at St. Anthony’s.
Long Beach Junior Crew practices at the Pete Archer Boathouse at Marina Stadium in Long Beach. LBJC offers summer programs and the 2014 season practice begins in September. For more information go to lbjc.com.