Nereid Boat Club Brings Home the Gold

Submitted and Written by Jennifer Zuch

Photo credits: Jennifer Zuch and Susanne Miguel

Mikaela Voinov, Ella Bogue, Violet Lombardo, Ella Woroniecki and the cox, Catherine Miguel-Rasteiro in the front center

Rutherford’s own Nereid Boat Club brought home a coveted gold medal this weekend from the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. The gold medal was won by the women’s youth 4x (a coxswain and four rowers using the sculling technique). Catherine Miguel-Rasteiro a sophomore from Rutherford was the coxswain. Mikaela Voinov, a senior from Wayne, Ella Bogue, a senior from Chatham, Violet Lombardo, a sophomore from Montclair, and Ella Woroniecki, also a sophomore from Montclair rowed with all their hearts.

"We are very excited about this result for our team. This win really indicates we are moving in the right direction. We can’t wait to continue pursuing our potential! We are honored to be able to race against such accomplished teams and want to see how fast we can get! We are enjoying every moment and can’t wait to continue growing!” explained Girls Coach Jessica Eiffert.

The women’s youth 4x beat out 49 other boats many from the nation’s leading boat clubs including the Redwood Scullers from California who are the defending National Champions and the defending Head of the Charles Champions. This is the first time that Nereid won a medal at this prestigious Regatta and the first time New Jersey won a medal in the women’s youth 4x race.

Boys Quad

Nereids men’s youth 4x and women’s youth 4+ (rowers use the sweeping technique) each posted top 20 finishes. The men’s youth 4x came in 16 out of 52 boats and the women’s youth 4+ came in 19th out of 90 boats. Nethra Thakkar (sophomore, Short Hills) coxed the men’s youth quad and Cameron Gennardo (freshman, Tenafly), Cyrus Rosenberg (junior, Glen Ridge), Gavin Clingham (senior, Tenafly) and Nikola Antich (sophomore, Fort Lee) put in a tremendous performance rowing against the nation’s leading rowers. Beatrix Boniface (sophomore, Hawthorne) coxed the girls' boat, Kate Rudolph (junior, Hawthorne), Ella Gill (sophomore, Rutherford), Sarah Newman (freshman, Tenafly), Romy McCarthy (senior, Rutherford) really showed their strength and skill rowing against some of the best.

The most accomplished rowers from around the world compete in the Head of the Charles which is the largest 3-day regatta in the world. This year 11,000 athletes rowed in over 1,900 boats in 61 events. The racecourse is nearly 3 miles long. To watch a news report about the Head of Charles, click here. For another report, click here.

Nereid Boat Club has enjoyed a record 2022 year. Nereid Boat Club also won the team points trophy at the local Head of the Passaic Regatta on October 9th, medaling in 14 events. Last June at the United States Nationals the boy’s youth Under 17 quad earned a Silver Medal and the girl’s youth Under 17 quad earned a Bronze.

Up next for Nereid Boat Club is the 2022 Head of the Fish Regatta on Sunday, October 30, 2022, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Nereid Boat Club welcomes all students from any community. NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. It’s not too late to join the winter sessions starting in late November. Head to the website www.nereidbc.org for more info!!!