Rowing

Women's Team - National Team Athletes

• Charlotte Buck

• Olivia Coffey

• Teal Cohen

• Claire Collins

• Tracy Eisser

• Alina Hagstrom

• Margaret Hedeman

• Megan Kalmoe

• Coral Kasden

• Brooke Mooney

• Meghan Musnicki

• Molly Reckford

• Erin Reelick

• Kelsey Reelick

• Regina Salmons

• Madeleine Wanamaker

Men's Team - National Team Athletes

• Chris Carlson

• Liam Galloway

• Michael Knippen

• Nicholas Mead

• Sam Melvin

• Finn Putnam

Local Elite Athletes

• Jeff Arnott

• Maggie Baert

• Brendan Behrens

• Veton Celaj

• Connor Corwen

• Dillon Cumming

• Alessandra Danyo

• Edward Gonzalez

• Phil Granitto

• Rebecca Gronsdahl

• Sergey Karpov

• Thomas Koetzner

• Alia Komsany

• Adam Levin

• Caiti Levin

• Alexandra Morss

• Matt Ptucha

• Jasmin Schons

• Paul Verni

• Colin Wilcox

• Allison Zolnowsky

Olympic Medalists

• Christian Ahrens

• Wyatt Allen

• Christopher Carlson

• Peter Cipollone

• Caryn Davies

• Katelin Guregian

• Beau Hoopman

• Megan Kalmoe

• Caroline Lind

• Eleanor Logan

• Nicholas Mead

• Meghan Musnicki

• Amanda Polk

• Jason Read

• Taylor Ritzel

• Kerry Simmonds

• Bryan Volpenhein

Latest News

A THRILLING SUMMER FOR NYAC ROWERS

As an Olympic year, 2024 was always going to be the peak of the cycle, but as summer approached, the excitement for the Paris Games was palpable. There are 14 Olympic events in rowing, seven each for men and women, with a total of 48 possible athletes from any one country on a full team. These athletes spread across sweeping, where each athlete has one oar, and race in eights, fours, and pairs, and sculling, where each athlete has two oars and the events are the quadruple, double (both lightweight and open weight), and single sculls. All the Olympic races are six lanes across over a distance of 2000 meters, affectionately known in the rowing community as a “2K.” Few if any countries ever qualify a full team for the Games, the competition being so fierce globally for the limited entries in each event; the US was near the top of the field with 12 qualified entries. The NYAC was proud to support 11 terrific athletes in Paris that were part of Team USA.

The highlight race for the USA and the NYAC turned out to be the men’s four, with NYAC rower Nick Mead sitting in bow, the boat comprising all four rowers from last year’s silver medal entry at the World Championships. In an absolutely thrilling final, the USA took a small early lead over New Zealand, which turned into a battle of the titans all the way down the course. New Zealand threw everything they had at the US rowers, who responded to each attack with power and poise, holding the Kiwis off every time and finishing in 5:49.03 to New Zealand’s 5:49.88, taking the gold medal. This historic win was the first rowing medal of any color for the USA since 2016, the first men’s medal since 2012, the first men’s gold medal since 2004, and the first USA gold medal in the men’s four since 1960.
 
The honor and prestige of the gold medal was followed by multiple television appearances, the interview with Sesame Street’s Elmo being a particular highlight. Nick Mead was also named as co-flag bearer for the Olympic Closing Ceremony, along with all-time swimming great Katie Ledecky. This was another historic first: Team USA had never nominated a rower as the Closing Ceremony flag bearer.

In the men’s eight, Chris Carlson and his USA boatmates delivered a second men’s medal, taking a close bronze behind the United Kingdom and the Netherlands with a time of 5:25.28, well ahead of fourth and the rest of the field. This was the first US medal in the men’s eight since 2008.

In the women’s eight, the NYAC was heavily represented, with six of the nine athletes wearers of the winged foot. Stroked by Charlotte Buck, the women’s eight also had NYAC rowers Olivia Coffey, Claire Collins, Meghan Musnicki, Regina Salmons and Madeleine Wanamaker, making for an all-star entry. Unfortunately, the women could not find the magic from the second half of last year’s race and found themselves just off the podium in a close fifth place finish and a time of 6:01.73.

In the lightweight women’s double, returning Olympian Molly Reckford and her partner finished sixth, in a time of 6:55.60, while Kelsey Reelick and her boatmates in the women’s four finished fifth, with a time of 6:34.88. Finally, first-time Olympian Teal Cohen and the women’s quadruple sculls finished third in the B final, for a ninth place overall finish, with a time of 6:31.71.

Additionally, in an Olympic year World Rowing organizes what it terms the Mega-Worlds, a combined World Championships event comprised of the non-Olympic senior events, plus under 23 and under 19 age groups. This year, the Mega-Worlds were held in St. Catherines, Ontario, the site of the 1999 World Championships and the annual Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.

In the lightweight men’s single, after a seventh place finish in 2023 and looking to improve, Sam Melvin from the NYAC returned to represent Team USA, once again coached by NYAC member Michael Martinov. Sam was greeted with an extremely strong field, including Paris Olympic medalists from Greece and Ireland, a soon-to-be world’s best time holder from Italy, and one more Olympian from Mexico. Not to be deterred, Sam went for broke in the final, hanging with the leaders for 1,800 meters and holding a podium position, only to fall prey to a ferocious sprint by the Italian sculler. With this powerful result, Sam has ascended to become one of the top lightweight scullers in the world.

Finally, the Club’s local elite athletes traveled to Oklahoma City in July for the USRowing Row-fest National Championships. Braving the intense summer heat, the NYAC came home with three national championship titles, winning the women’s open double (Jasmin Schons and Annabelle Baulch), the men’s open lightweight double (Matthew Ptucha and Brendan Behrens), and the men’s open lightweight coxed four (Matthew Ptucha, Brendan Behrens, Dillon Cumming, Adam Levin and Magdalene Baert). These athletes have been led on the coaching side by long-time NYAC member Angelo Rubbo, assisted by David Walton, Reid Cucci and organizer and coxing all-star, Magdalene Baert.

As always, we are incredibly proud of these athletes and would like to thank the Club’s members and its leadership for all of their support. - Rob Milam

2025 NYAC Summer Racing Program

PROGRAM LENGTH:
The formal program starts with a team meeting the evening of Friday, June 6th. The primary regattas of the program will be the Independence Day Regatta July 4th to 6th and the USRowing RowFest National Championships July 12th to 15th. Based on boat performance and speed, a decision will be made about sending boats to the Canadian Henley in August. The NYAC runs a competitive program and the goal is to win races and medals at the summer regattas.
 
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES:
·       Minimum of one year collegiate racing experience for rowers, two years for coxswains
·       Men's 2k erg score standard: Heavyweight 6:18; Lightweight 6:38
·       Women's 2k erg score standard: Open 7:20; Lightweight 7:40
·       Exceptions to the above may be granted at the Head Coach and Chairman’s discretion, however applicants not meeting the erg standards should anticipate being placed on the waitlist and are not guaranteed a race even if accepted to train with the team

LOCATION:
The NYAC boat house is located at the Club’s Travers Island facility on Shore Road in Pelham, New York. Men’s and women’s practices will take place at 6:30pm Monday through Thursday and at 8:30am on Saturday and Sunday, with the potential for additional morning practices during the week from 5:30am to 7am. Non-members are not permitted to train at the City House facilities downtown.
 
POTENTIAL RACING SCHEDULE:
July 4th to July 6th: Independence Day Regatta, Philadelphia, PA
July 12th to July 15th: USRowing National Championships, Ann Arbor, MI
August 5th to August 10th: Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, Saint Catharines, ON

*Attendance at any/all trials events, including U23 and Senior World Championships trials, will be made by the coaching staff based on athlete performance and demonstrated potential for success.
 
PROGRAM FEE:
The 2025 summer racing fee will be no more than $300 per athlete (hopefully less) and must be paid in full before the first regatta. Limited grants are available upon application.
 
WHAT ATHLETES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR:
·       Housing in the NYC area and meals for the duration of the program
·       Program fee (if applicable)
·       All travel to and from regattas and practices
·       Overnight accommodations at Independence Day Regatta (program may pay for other races - TBD)
·       USRowing membership (required for competition at both U.S. regattas)
·       SafeSport training and compliance (via USRowing Membership portal)
·       All athletes must complete the NYAC Privilege Card process before they may compete for the Club
·       All athletes must sign and adhere to the NYAC Club Code of Conduct

WHAT THE PROGRAM PAYS FOR:
·       Coaching
·       All regatta entry fees
·       Equipment
·       Transportation of equipment to all regattas (including truck rentals, gas and tolls)
·       Racing tank top/singlet