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Mercer Rowing Club Takes First Place in Men’s High School 8+ Event and Women’s High School 4+ Event at Bill Braxton Regatta

L-R:  Aaron Goodman, Finn Ludwig, Conner Ilchert, Sean Kelly, Matthew Perez, Tom Walker, Elias Abilheira, Ron Haines, Clint Hetzell 

Princeton National Rowing Association’s Mercer Rowing Club (PNRA/Mercer) ended its fall racing season with its Men’s High School Varsity 8+ crew and Women’s High School 4+ crew winning trophies at the 40th Annual Bill Braxton Memorial Regatta on November 10th on the Cooper River in Camden County, NJ. Both events were 1500m races.

“This race was a must win for us,” stated senior co-captain Conner Ilchert (Lawrence HS). “Our 8+ last year had the first place finish snagged out from under them at the last second and that was an image that stuck with a lot of the guys who raced here today. Coach Newcombe's pre-race advice was pretty simple, ‘Treat it like a drag race and ride the lightning all the way through’. This race capped off a pretty successful fall season for the Varsity 8+ after the solid finish at the Head of the Charles and now a gold medal from the Braxton, we're all pretty psyched for the championship season come springtime.”

In addition to Ilchert, other members of the men’s 8+ who were awarded the Colletta Family Trophy were Sean Kelly (West Windsor-Plainsboro HS South), Aaron Goodman (Princeton HS), Finn Ludwig (West Windsor-Plainsboro HS South), Tom Walker (Princeton HS), Elias Abilheira (Princeton HS), Clint Hetzell (Monroe Township HS), Ron Haines (Hamilton High West), and coxswain Matt Perez (Robbinsville HS). 

Later in what turned out to be the last race of the day, Mercer’s Women’s High School 4+ battled wind gusts up to 25 mph and won the Braxton Family Trophy. The 4+ crew consisted of Rachel Calabro (Robbinsville HS), Rena White (Princeton HS), Alex Natale (The Hun School), Badia Shehab (Hopewell Valley Central HS) and coxswain Katarina Stough (Princeton HS).

After the Women’s High School 4+, the remaining races were canceled due the high winds and weather.

The Bill Braxton Memorial Regatta honors the spirit of Bill Braxton, a rower who was killed in an auto accident after his sophomore year at Marietta College. Proceeds from the regatta fund two scholarships for college rowers.

About the Princeton National Rowing Association
The Princeton National Rowing Association, a 501c3 organization, operates the Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center located on the shores of Mercer Lake, Mercer County Park in West Windsor, New Jersey.  The Princeton National Rowing Association is dedicated to operating a world-class training site for our nation’s elite athletes, providing opportunities for area youth to excel in the sport of rowing and to expand rowing in the greater Mercer County area through community based programs.  PNRA runs the Mercer Junior Rowing Program which provides rowing opportunities for youth from over 30 area schools and the Mercer Masters Rowing Program which provides rowing opportunities for adults.  The center is a home to the USRowing National and Olympic Teams, as well as rowing clubs and schools. PNRA has teamed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County to provide mentors and rowing opportunities to the students of the Joyce Kilmer School. PNRA received generous support from University Orthopaedic Associates, Resolute Racing Shells, Killarney’s Publik House and Shavel Home Products.

For more information, contact Kristopher Grudt, tel: 609-977-1094, krisgrudt@rowpnra.org.