CAMDEN — Megunticook Rowing hosted the Dirigo Sprints Maine Youth Rowing Championship on Saturday, May 27 on Megunticook Lake.

This event began several years ago to bring all of the Maine rowing teams together to battle it out on the water for the title and trophy. This year, the Waynflete School from Portland and Maine Coast Rowing Association from Brunswick attended. 

“We could not have asked for a better day,” said Megunticook Rowing, in a news release. “The sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Spectators were lining the road along Route 52 and the boat launch, and flooding the Barrett’s Cove beach. Just from a rough estimate, there were around two-hundred people in attendance.”

Races began at 9 a.m., starting with the women’s and men’s double events. Megunticook did not have an entry in the Women’s 2x, but had two boats in the Men’s 2x to make up for it. The Megunticook A boat finished 1st and the Megunticook B boat finished 3rd. 

Next up was the women’s and men’s fours events. In the Women’s Varsity 4+, Megunticook finished 2nd in 6:02 minutes, just 7 seconds from the first place winner, Maine Coast. In the Men’s Varsity 4+, Megunticook also finished a close second to Maine Coast in 5:34. 

In the Women’s Second Varsity 4+, Megunticook finished 2nd in 6:25, less than 10 seconds off of Waynflete. In the Men’s Second Varsity 4+, Megunticook finished 2nd in 5:21.

In the Men’s Novice 4+, Megunticook finished 3rd in 6:26. 

Then came the event we were all waiting for, the women’s and men’s eights events. Three or four lanes across the three teams competed for the major points of the regatta. In the Womens Eight, Megunticook finished 2nd in 5:46, 10 seconds behind Maine Coast again. In the Men’s Eight, oars were almost slapping with Megunticook and Maine Coast. Megunticook finished 2nd in 5:01, only seconds off Maine Coast.

Maine Coast took home the “burrito” (the Dirigo Sprints trophy) as President, John F. Romain announced. Overall, Waynflete finished in second place and Megunticook finished third respectively. 

“Megunticook Rowing would like to send a huge thank you to all of the volunteers who made this event possible,” said the release. “Thank you to the race committee and timers, the safety launches, beach (boat launching) masters, registration, the moms and dads who organized the fancy food tents, and the wonderful coaches, rowers, and families from Waynflete, Maine Coast, and Megunticook.”

Megunticook Rowing has concluded their 2023 youth spring season. They will return to competition in the fall of 2023. 

Click here for the results: https://www.row2k.com/results/resultspage.cfm?UID=800496A55F93EF096961BA3A53148E90&cat=6