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NORWALK, Conn. - Connecticut Boat Clubs Varsity 8+ held off a strong field to win the gold medal Saturday in the Mercer Sprints Regatta in New Jersey.
The Norwalk-based team finished the 2,000-meter course in 6:24.33 to win the Casperson Challenge Cup. Mount Saint Joseph of Philadelphia took second in 6:24.66. Radnor, also from the Philadelphia area, finished third in 6:26.92.
Connecticut Boat Clubs lineup consisted of Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Abby Stevenson, India Knight, Paige Voight, Tory Babchak, Meg Galloway, Katherine Squitieri, Sarah Schwartz and coxswain Ali Hornung. The Norwalk-based team took an early lead before Mount Saint Joseph drew even 500 meters into the race. The teams stayed tight from there, and the winner was not determined until nearly five minutes after the finish.
The victory in the meets signature race for girls capped an impressive afternoon for the club, which also won four other events.
The crew won the Varsity 2x with Shelby Penfield and Kendra Shutts, the Third Varsity 4+ with Hornung, Kate Tyrrell, Kate Hickey, Voigt and Casey Clifford, and the Noivce 8+ with Kassy Boliakis, Tyrell, Clifford, Voight, Hickey, Payton Garrity, Lucy Magee, Maggie Murphy and Catherine Wilcock.
Other highlights for the crew included a third-place finish in its heat of the Varsity 4+ with Boliakis, Kylie Maier, Jessica Ferrante, Holly Geffs and Bea Nash; a second place finish in the 2nd Novice 8+ with Courtney Lincoln, Maggie Murphy, Haley Bower, Kelly Caione, Erin Meskers, Natalie Yannopolous, Megan Kynast, Natalie Davis-Porada and Kate Renaud; a second place finish in the 2nd Varsity 8+ with Boliakis, Maier, Natalie Puente, Tyrell, Nash, Geffs, Ferrante, Maggie Roberts and Nash, and a second in the 3rd Varsity 8+ with Courtney Lincoln, Garrity, Clifford, Mudd, Hickey, Caione, Catherine Wilcock, Shelby Penfield and Lizzie Steinborne.
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