Pictured: The Middletown High girls Varsity 1 boat competes in the Middle of the Farmington Regatta on May 1. (Contributed photo)
Middletown High will host two regattas at Harbor Park in the coming weeks, the first post-pandemic group races on the city’s stretch of the Connecticut River in two years.
The 14th edition of the Novice Regatta will be held May 15 from 9am to 1pm featuring approximately 10 teams in the field. All competitors are first-year rowers. The competition is intended to give the novices racing experience against other new rowers.
“Races will be dual or triple matchups in a double-elimination bracket system, so every team will row more than one race throughout the day,” Middletown crew coach Scot Peaslee said.
The 750-meter races will take place just off the Harbor Park pier.
“It will be great for spectators,” Peaslee said. Food and merchandise will be sold, and the event also will feature live music. Spectators are encouraged to park downtown and use the underpass to access the Harbor Park area.
This particular regatta is believed to have the second-largest field behind the Connecticut Public Schools Rowing Championships. The CPSRC races will take place May 22 on Lake Waramaug in New Preston.
“We expect to hold this regatta annually again moving forward,” said Peaslee.
Middletown rowers, meanwhile, competed in the Middle of the Farmington Regatta on May 1 against boats from Farmington, Lewis Mills, E.O. Smith and Avon high schools. Both the boys and girls Varsity 1 Blue Dragon boats finished second in their races.
Rowing in the boys V-1 boat were senior coxswain Nayda Farnsworth, who will go on to compete at Colgate next year, Andrew Green, Drew Ngo, Daniel Smith, Kevin Turri, Paolo Nassetta, Nathan Shapiro-Rosado, Michael Czyz and Teddy Isaacson.
Rowing in the girls V-1 boat were coxswain Jack Kilian, Arabella Alexander, Vanessa Gorlewski, Jenna Carfora, Andi Pasieka, Alex Matulis, Alle Szewczyk and Maggie Herrera.