CAMDEN — Megunticook Rowing held the annual Maine Youth Rowing Association State Championship Regatta, the Dirigo Sprints, for the first time in two years Saturday, May 28 on Megunticook Lake.

The event had a great turnout, hosting Maine Coast Rowing Association (MCRA) and Waynflete. All teams showed great efforts and showed off their skills. Megunticook coaches, Tris Coburn and Will Schaetzke, with their crews coming off a great performance in Malden, Massachusetts the previous week, were looking forward to wrapping up the season on a positive note.

The first event of the day was the women’s varsity 2x comprised of Lydia Myers and Leah Bloomquist, taking second place to MCRA with a time of 8:19.5.

Next was the men’s varsity 2x with Cabot Adams and Devin Guptill. They took first place with a time of 6:28.2.

Later in the morning the women’s varsity “A” four (4+), rowed by Maggie Gill, Charlotte Taylor, Iselin Bratz, Sarah Van Lonkhuyzen, and coxswain Sofia Howell, took third place, just missing second place, with a time of 6:46.4. Waynflete won first place in this event, with MCRA coming in second.

The men’s varsity “A” four (4+), rowed by Cabot Adams, Tanner Carson, Oliver Worner, Devin Guptill, and coxswain, Aaron Dowd, won first place by more than 14 seconds over Waynflete, with a time of 5:51.8.

As the sun began to shine through the clouds the women’s varsity “B” four (4+) took to the water, which included Flora Gurdon, Lydia Myers, Hettie Bickham, Piper Urey, and coxswain, Maggie Blood, missing first place by a hair, with only four-tenths of a second between them and the first place Waynflete boat, with the time of 7:03.9. This was, by far, the closest race of the season.

The men’s varsity “B” four (4+), rowed by Dominic Piconi, Noah Thackeray, George Bickham, Connor Howland, and coxswain, Aaron Dowd, took an incredible first place, finishing two minutes ahead of Waynflete, with a time of 5:55.8.

The women's novice four (4+), comprised of Lily Martin, Ruth Weiss, Ava Tobias, Greer LaFiura, and coxswain, Sofia Howell, took second place in their event, with a time of 6:40.0.

The women’s varsity 8 rowed by Maggie Gill, Charlotte Taylor, Iselin Bratz, Sarah Van Lonkhuyzen, Lydia Myers, Laura Riordan, Leah Bloomquist, Adella Brainerd, and coxed by Sofia Howell, after suffering equipment issues early in the race, just missed first place, with a time 5:60.9, losing to MCRA by only four seconds (a boat length).

The men’s varsity 8, comprised of Dom Piconi, Devin Guptill, Cabot Adams, Tanner Carson, Oliver Worner, Connor Howland, George Bickham, Noah Thackeray, and coxed by Aaron Dowd, came in first with a time of 5:13.2. Overall, the boy’s crew had ten separate events this season and were undefeated in all of them. A great way to end the day of racing with a win for the home team!

Megunticook Rowing, as a team had a great day of competition, winning back the Dirigo Trophy from Waynflete who won the trophy back in 2019, the last time this event was held. Both Maine Coast Rowing and Waynflete also took home multiple first place medals.

This was a great event for all the athletes who participated and a great opportunity for some of Megunticook Rowing’s seniors to take to the water one last time before heading off to college. Megunticook Rowing is looking forward to hosting the event next spring.