Founded in 1988, Gold River’s Capital Crew Youth Rowing Club has been forging athletes of character for 35 years on Lake Natoma. 2024 is no exception as the regular rowing season wraps up and the National Championships get underway next week.

This season, Capital played host to US Rowing’s Southwest Youth Championships, May 3-5, 2024. 33 Youth Rowing Programs from the Southwest fielded 636 entries attracting over 2,000 athletes to participate. The crew entered 19 boats in 14 events to compete for bids to US Rowing’s Youth National Championships in Sarasota Florida in June 6-9. Seven of the 19 boats entered, qualified for the Grand Finals racing on Sunday May 5th. Capital 

Capital Crew’s Women’s Varsity Youth 4+, coached by Esha Majhail (Bella Vista High), with rowers: Izzy Delavoye (Oak Ridge HS), Mary Anderson (Folsom HS), Maya Resinger(Oak Ridge HS), Grace Torchiana(Oak Ridge HS) basked in home water advantage to smoothly advance to the medal round. Capital’ Youth 4 made quick work of most of the field in the Grand Final. As boats approached the finish line Capital could not hold off Newport Aquatic Center who place first, Capital secured the silver medal and qualified to compete at US Rowing Youth National Championship.

Capital Crew’s Women’s Junior Varsity Youth 4+, coxed by Pax Graham (Sac Country Day, tatum hall (St Francis), Kate Schroeder (Davis HS), Anoushka Bhatt (Vista del Lago), Claire Rosales (Oak Ridge HS), distinguished themselves by advancing to finals culminating with a trip to the podium for a bronze medal.

Capital’s Girl’s Under 17 boat (U17) 8+ competed in one of the largest fields of the Regional Championships. Capital’s U17 girls put in consistent performances to advance to Grand Finals ultimately placing fourth, securing a bid to compete at US Rowing Youth National Championship.  The U17 8+ line-up: I. Roberts (Bella Vista) /S. Plain/A. Lafontaine(Oak Ridge HS)/A. Linklater(Folsom HS)/C. Anderson(Folsom HS) /A. Cordano(St. Francis)/V. Zhang/A. Levermore (Sac Country Day)/Coxswain, L. Czako (Granite Bay HS).

The US Rowing National Championships will begin with time trials on June 6th. Capital’s entries will show why they are considered one of the top youth rowing programs in the United States. Go Capital! Row hard, Row fast! for information and live stream visit: https://usrowing.org/sports/2022/10/6/2024-Youth-National-Championships.aspx

Are you ready to row? Summer Clinics are available now. Have you been inspired by the film the Boys in the Boat? Are you interested in what it takes to Row For Gold? Middle School and High School aged athletes interested in finding out more are welcome to come see what all the excitement is about! Capital Crew is a no cut program open to athletes aged 13 -18 years of age. For more information and a calendar of events please visit https://www.sacstateaquaticcenter.com/capital-crew-youth-rowing .

Capital’s Women’s Varsity 4 (center) driving to a silver medal at Southwest Regional Championships, Lake Natoma, May 5, 2024.
Capital Crew Women’s Varsity and Junior Varsity Youth 4’s showing off the hardware at Southwest Regional Championships, Lake Natoma, May 5, 2024.  Photos: Chris Torchiana