Gold River, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/16/2017 --The Oakland Strokes finished their season with fast racing and multiple medals at the Southwest Youth Rowing Championship. Held at Lake Natoma near Folsom, this regatta draws high school participants from California and beyond, including as far as Arizona and Utah. The 2017 edition of the regatta hosted 38 clubs in 36 events in 3 days. It also serves as the qualification regatta for the National Youth Championship in Sarasota, Florida on June 9-11. The top 3 winners for the Varsity and Lightweight Men's and Women's events earn an invitation to compete at National Youth Championship Regatta.

The Lightweight Women's Eight led the way with a dominating performance, storming home to win their event by 9 seconds! That victory sends them to Youth Nationals along with the bronze medalist Women's Quad. The entire Women's Varsity squad had a great weekend, winning gold in the Second Varsity and Third Varsity Eights. The Fourth Varsity Eight won an unofficial championship by finishing as the top Fourth Varsity in the Third Varsity event.

The Varsity Men had a solid weekend, highlighted by the Third and Fourth Varsity Eights winning gold and bronze in the Third Varsity Event. That bronze medal also gives the Fourth Varsity 8+ an unofficial championship as the highest placing Fourth Varsity Eight. The rest of the Men's Varsity squad raced well, earning silver medals in the Men's Varsity 8+ and Men's JV8+. On the second day of the regatta the Varsity Men added a silver in the Lightweight 8+, a gold in the Men's 4-, and a bronze in the Men's Varsity 4+. These placings give coach Brian de Regt many options to send athletes to the Youth National Championships.

The Women's Novice squad ended their season strongly, winning gold in the Novice 4+ event. The Novice Eight added a hard fought bronze medal. The squad showed their depth by placing crews into the Grand Finals in all of the events in which they competed, a rare feat at this tough regatta.

The Men's Novice squad raced hard all weekend and brought home a silver medal in the Novice Eight and Four, as well as bronze medals in the Second Novice Eight and Freshman Eight events.

The Oakland Strokes rowing club welcomes middle and high school students from across the Bay Area. Nationally recognized college coaches seek our rowers based on the strength of our community and our passion for instilling the best values of rowing. Our goal is to build character and commitment by providing youth rowing for students of all backgrounds the opportunity to be a part of the team. Oakland Strokes offers summer learn-to-row camps for middle and high school students.

More information can be found at http://www.OaklandStrokes.org.

Full List of Medalists:

GOLD:
Women's Lightweight 8+
Women's Second Varsity 8+
Women's Third Varsity 8+
Men's Third Varsity 8+
Men's Open 4-
Women's Novice 4+

SILVER:
Men's Varsity 8+
Men's Lightweight 8+
Men's Second Varsity 8+
Men's Novice 8+
Men's Novice 4+

BRONZE:
Women's Varsity 4x
Men's Fourth Varsity 8+ (in 3V event)
Men's Varsity 4+
Women's Novice 8+
Men's Freshman 8+
Men's Second Novice 8+