MALDEN, Mass. — As the sun rose on Saturday, May 21, the Megunticook Rowing youth program was preparing for its first official race of the spring season.

While it may have been a hot day on the Malden River, the young rowers went out with a splash at this year’s Mayor’s Cup Invitational, marking Megunticook’s first ever appearance in this regatta. 

The Megunticook Youth Rowing team faced stiff competition with some twelve youth rowing programs competing against one another along a 1,350 meter course. The team went head-to-head with Massachusetts crews such as Milton, Malden, and Somerville, and against some familiar faces from Waynflete.

The boys team, coached by Tris Coburn, was as rowdy as ever and competed in some of the first races of the day.

First up was the Boys Varsity “A” four (4+) which included Cabot Adams, Tanner Carson, Oliver Worner, Devin Guptill, and their coxswain, Aaron Dowd. The regatta consisted of separate heats with two boats racing one another with the fastest two boats of the division moving on to finals later in the day.

The “A” four laid it all out in their race in hopes of reaching the finals which they did with a time of 4:52, five seconds faster than their upcoming finals opponent, Milton.

Next, the boys varsity “B” four (4+) rowed by Dominic Piconi, Noah Thackeray, George Bickham, Conner Howland, and coxed by Aaron Dowd, made sure not to disappoint and moved on to the finals with the fastest time of their heat, one second faster than their rivals at Waynflete.

Riding off the boys’ victories, coach Will Schaetzke’s girls fours rowed beautifully in their heats.

The girls varsity “A” four, comprised of Maggie Gill, Iselin Bratz, Charlotte Taylor, Sarah Van Lonkhuyzen, and coxswain Sofia Howell, glided through the water and made finals with a time of 5:29, tied with the Somerville crew who made the finals after winning in their heat as well.

The girls varsity “B” four, rowed by Flora Gurdon, Lydia Myers, Adella Brainerd, Leah Bloomquist, and coxswain Maggie Blood, kept up the winning streak and moved into the finals with the second-best time out of all boats who raced in the second varsity four division.

Both the boys’ and girls’ teams also raced in eights.

Going into the race after their previous victories, the boys varsity eight, rowed by Dom Piconi, Devin Guptill, Cabot Adams, Tanner Carson, Oliver Worner, Conner Howland, George Bickham, Noah Thackery, and coxed by Aaron Dowd, pulled through and advanced to the finals with the second fastest time of the day (4:23).

Similarly, the girls eight, rowed by Flora Gurdon, Adella Brainerd, Laura Riordan, Lily Martin, Lulu Van Lonkhuyzen, Piper Urey, Hettie Bickham, Ruth Weiss, and coxed by Maggie Blood, also made it to finals.

In the finals for the boys’ team, Saturday was a huge victory as all three boats won gold in their finals, taking home both the Commonwealth Cup and the Covino Family Cup. The competition was tough with the boys’ eight winning their final by only one second over Milton. The varsity 4+ “A” also beat Milton in a grueling final. The varsity 4+ “B” had open water on Waynflete when they crossed the line for the win.

After most of the girls rowed their hearts out, with all having previously raced in two or more events, the boats persisted with both fours and the eight finishing second in their respective finals. All in all, it was a spectacular showing for Megunticook Rowing.