FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 21, 2002

CONTACT: Will King, Chairman of the Board, Oakland Strokes, Inc., 415-999-2272

The Oakland Strokes kicked off their 29^th season last week with fall practice for 100 varsity rowers and an open house that yielded a record-setting 100 novices. With the women’s crew coming off a USRowing Southwest Regional Women’s Championship and vying this year for a national title, and with the men’s varsity poised to recapture their traditional leadership position, the Strokes continue to be recognized as one of the nation’s premier junior rowing programs.

Losing only three seniors from the women’s varsity 8 that swept the West and took 5^th in the USRowing Youth Invitational in Cincinnati, and from the women’s lightweight 8 that took 2^nd in the West and 6^th in Cincinnati, the Strokes women again appear to be the team to beat in the coming season. Julia Dalziell and Julie Nicholson were invited last summer to compete for positions on the U.S. Junior National Team, and Nicholson took a gold and a bronze in the USRowing National Championships in Cherry Hill, NJ. Other returning veterans from last year’s varsity and lightweight boats include Claire Blide, Franny Bohar, Meredith Coleman, Alana Kopke, Ann Levin, Cecca Lewis-Hathaway, Elissa Malmquist, Katie Sherman and Jessica Sutton.

Moving up from a novice women’s program that truly dominated the USRowing Southwest Region last season are over thirty rowers who will be pushing the more experienced varsity members for "A" boat time. Those who move up will include last year’s gold medal-winning Women’s Novice 8A members Amelia Pillsbury, Victoria Peckham, Emilee Johnson, Lauren Hofmayer, Sarah Moore, Ashley Jones, Lauren Finston, Hayley Fish and Rebekah Kharrazi.

After a rebuilding year in 2001-2002, the Strokes men again are expected to be in the running for regional leadership in the men’s varsity 8. Matt King, who was selected for the U.S. Junior National Team, won a silver medal in the USRowing National Championships and took ninth in the World Junior Rowing Championships in Trakai, Lithuania. Roman Rezanowicz, Josh Sowick, Chris Pieri and Alex Baker-Lubin gained valuable experience at the Southwest Development Camp, and Rezanowicz and Sowick took bronze medals at the USRowing National Championships. Coxing duties for the top two boats are expected to be handled by friends Alysha Koorji and Chris Sibelia.

Competing to fill out seats on the Men’s Varsity 8 will be members of last year’s novice 8 and freshman 8 boats that took bronzes in the USRowing Southwest Regional Championships, including coxswain Jenna Dinstell, Spencer Padway, Johnny Viel, Anthony Fahden, Michael Patton, Rex Righetti, Ross Goodwin, Noah Bruegman, Dave Mertzig, Rudy Gustafson, Ilan Cohen and Patrick Gerhardt.

The Strokes will return three head coaches, including Beth Anderson (9^th year, Women’s Novice), Derek Byrnes (2^nd year, Women’s Varsity) and Dana Hooper (5^th year, Men’s Varsity). Moving up to Men’s Novice Head Coach is Alex Thomas, who was assistant last year. Alex rowed lightweight at Yale, where his boats won several Ivy and IRA titles and a Henley cup.

The Oakland Strokes have won three national championships and countless regional titles. Alumni have rowed for the U.S. Olympic Team, the U.S. Senior National Team and for major collegiate rowing powers including Cal, Washington, Yale, Princeton and Penn. For membership information, contact Ro Leaphart at 510-523-5451 or ro.Leaphart@att.net.