After winning the Fox Chapel women's crew took a plunge. Pictured are Kristen Boyle, Molly Toig, Meghan Monahan, Kathryn McCarthy, Erin Ford (in front), Cara Massarelli, Risa Trump,and Audrey Kelly.

The Fox Chapel Crew Women’s Lightweight 8+ captured eighth place in the US Rowing Youth National Championship against a field of sixteen of the country’s best Club and high school crews. After three days of pressure-packed competition interrupted by severe thunderstorms then baked by humid 95 degree heat, Fox Chapel overcame a penalty, an injury delay, and a split-second finish to post its best finish ever in the National Championship.

In the first heat, FC jumped out to a second place finish, only to be penalized for an underweight boat. The penalty knocked the team out of the top bracket and forced a second qualifying race. Before that race could start, thunderstorms canceled racing for the rest of Friday. Saturday, the FC women won the repechage event to get back in contention for the Grand Finals. Then, only moments before the semi-final race, a competitor’s rower collapsed at the starting line and the race was delayed while the rower was replaced. FC, the only crew that had to race twice in their event, went on to finish two hundredths of a second out of the Grand Final qualifier.

In the Petite Final on Sunday, the FC crew posted a strong second place, putting them eighth in the final order of finish with the highest standing ever achieved by Fox Chapel Crew in the National Championship.

The women crew missed Fox Chapel Area High School’s Graduation ceremony at Soldiers and Sailors Hall, but held their own graduation on the awards platform at the race. Caps and gowns were worn over race uniforms for the brief ceremony, which was followed by a group plunge into Lake Harsha.

The Lightweight Women’s 8+ boat included Kristen Boyle, Erin Ford, Audrey Kelly, Cara Masserelli, Katie McCarthy, Meghan Monahan, Molly Toig and Risa Trump, all graduating seniors. Jake Miller was the coxswain of the boat in his first competition with the women’s boat.

In order to compete at the elite National Championship, the women missed Fox Chapel Area High School’s Graduation ceremony at Soldiers and Sailors Hall, but held their own graduation on the awards platform at the race. Caps and gowns were worn over race uniforms for the brief ceremony, which was followed by a group plunge into Lake Harsha. The crew also managed to give their coach, Sara Osier, an unexpected swim.