May 27, 2025 by Max Greenblatt (‘26)
Since its founding in 1996, the Saratoga rowing team has been one of the most successful and competitive teams in the state. Today, it is comprised of over 140 members from the Saratoga region. While not a school sport, the Saratoga Rowing Association is primarily made up of Saratoga Springs High School and Maple Avenue Middle School students.
On Saturday, May 10th, and Sunday, May 11th, teams from around the state competed at the New York State Scholastic Championships on Fish Creek. The results of the Scholastic Championships determined which boats would qualify for the chance to compete at the youth national championships in June. The boys’ first varsity boat finished in second place, and the second varsity placed third. The girls first varsity boat placed second, the second varsity boat third, and lastly the U17 boat in second.
“It is really exciting that our team is seeing our hard work over the past years pay off with such clear results, and I know being next to the best boats in the country will only push us more,” said Lily Caramadre, a rower in the girls’ first varsity boat.
At the New York State Scholastic Championships, the girls first varsity boat followed closely behind the reigning national champions: RowAmerica Rye. Saratoga started the day by placing only ten seconds behind RowAmerica, closing the gap on their 2024 national finishing times. Nearly 5 hours later, the boats lined up again for the 1500m race. RowAmerica took an early lead, but as the two boats neared the finish, Saratoga began to close the gap, finishing an impressive six seconds behind the national champions.
Another significant milestone for the Saratoga rowing team is the success of their girls’ U17 boat. The U17 girls category is highly competitive, but despite this being a new category for Saratoga Rowing, the predominantly younger girls on this boat performed impressively well at the state qualifiers. Their strong performance promises an exciting exhibition at the nationals in June.
Roughly 45 Saratoga rowers will head to Sarasota, Florida, in June to compete in the national championships. The championships span four days, and all races are live-streamed on YouTube and at https://www.overnght.com/.
The Saratoga Rowing team’s performance at the state championships has set the stage for a competitive national showing. With a strong mix of experienced rowers and newcomers, the team will look to build on its success when it competes in Sarasota this June.
As the team heads to Sarasota, they carry their community’s support and pride. We wish them the best of luck at the 2025 Youth National Rowing Championships and are excited to see how they perform against some of the top teams in the country.
photos taken by max greenblatt