Once a year, the top crew competitors in all classes head to London to sort out world championships.
This week, the Scholastic Rowing Association of America’s national championship Varsity 8 women’s boat has a local connection.
Kennedy Narine, who just graduated from Winter Park High School in Florida, is the daughter of Angela Whitford Narine, a Brookfield Central School and Hamilton College graduate.
Whitford is the daughter of Ron Whitford of Brookfield, who with wife Vicki, Angela’s mom, Kennedy’s dad and spouses, are in England this week to cheer on Winter Park in their third straight appearance at Henley.
The Henley Royal Regatta began in 1849 and is the premiere regatta for rowers of all levels, from high school to Olympics.
Competition is on the River Thames.
Ron Whitford said this is Kennedy’s first time there, although her squad, now the three-time defending national champs, has been the past two years.
In 2022 Winter Park lost in the final and last year they made it to the semifinals.
Kennedy, who will row for Bucknell University starting in the fall, switched from volleyball to crew as a sophomore, Whitford said.
Her younger sister rows for the freshman boat.
The Thames course is 2,112 meters, about 600 meters longer than high school competition.
The trip abroad is paid for through fund raising by the crew teams.
At the Henley, crews in the same division compete one- on-one through a random draw.
Lose and it’s over, win and continue the next day.
This year 772 boats from 27 nations will compete at the Henley.
Several Olympic boats are attending to prepare for the Olympics in Paris.
Winter Park will compete for the Prince Phillips Challenge Trophy as one of 32 boats.
Finals in all divisions are Sunday.
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