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FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. Norwalk-based Connecticut Boat Club finished second Sunday in the Grand Final of the Junior Women's Varsity Eight at the San Diego Classic.
CBC also took fifth in the Junior Women's Junior Varsity Eight in the season-opening competition.
The varsity eight consisted of Darien's Katie de Haas, Convent of the Sacred Heart student India Knight, Weston's Sarah Schwartz, Harvey student Katherine Squitieri, Meg Galloway of Ridgefield, New Canaan's Abby Stevenson, Wilton's Tory Babchak, Deirdre Fitzpatrick of Sacred Heart Academy and coxswain Ali Hornung of Weston.
Both races featured three heats of six boats in the preliminary rounds. The top two in each heat advanced to the grand finals. The varsity eight won its preliminary heat by more than four seconds.
In the finals, CBC finished second to Oakland Strokes by less than 7 seconds. The crew edged Marin of California by more than a second in a tight battle. CBC rallied in the last 500 meters to overtake Marin, which won the finals in last year's Junior Championships.
The junior varsity eight took second in its opening heat. The team consisted of Darien's Emily Olsen, Holly Geffs of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Darien's Kendra Shutts and Juliet Rue, Greenwich Academy's Bea Nash, King student Paige Voight, Natalie Puente of Convent of the Sacred Heart, Darien's Kylie Mayer and Kassie Boliakis of Trinity Catholic.
The results were especially encouraging for CBC, which was competing for the first time on the water. California schools have been on water for several months. The teams could meet again at the Junior Nationals in June.
CBC will compete at the Mercer Sprints on April 20 and 21.
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