Triad United Rowing Celebrates York Cup Day
Coxswain Piper Birth, stroke Lamia Bunton, Max Ludemann, Kaity Nicoletta, Dennis Kosachevskyy, Alex Cyrnjak, Natalie Voss, Auryn Thompson, and bow Dachs Bide took line honors on York Cup Day.
York Cup action officially kicked off on Oak Hollow Lake today.
Throughout each year, rowers from various segments of the Triad United Rowing's youth program form eight-oar crews and race against the clock from Skeet Club Bridge to Johnson Street Bridge on Oak Hollow Lake. At the end of the spring season, the crew that has recorded the fastest time in the previous 12 months is recognized at the annual Spring Crew Banquet and earns the honor of drinking a Toast from The York Cup.
The York Cup is a perpetual prize presented annually to the eligible crew of High Point rowers that has recorded the fastest bridge to bridge time in the previous year. It is named in honor of Greg and Caren York for their philanthropic leadership toward the team.
All crews wishing to challenge for the fastest time must be comprised of the following athletes:
1.) All members of the crew must be currently enrolled in middle school or high school. (the Summer following your senior year makes you ineligible!)
2.) At least two and no more than four male rowers in the boat. A coxswain may be a fifth male member of the crew.
3.) At least four of the rowers must be in their novice year, freshmen, or in middle school.
Times must be recorded by a member of the coaching staff who has informed the rowing director in advance that a York Cup challenge will be made.
Four mixed eights of boys and girls on the youth program of various ages raced from Skeet Club Bridge to Johnson Street Bridge on this Saturday morning. Pride was on the line to see who would take line honors and set the pace for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
The crew taking line honors on Saturday rowed the 'Fred with Edinburgh oars' and raced the course in a time of 14 minutes 35 seconds. The crew were coxswain Piper Birth, stroke Lamia Bunton, Max Ludemann, Kaity Nicoletta, Dennis Kosachevskyy, Alex Cyrnjak, Natalie Voss, Auryn Thompson, and bow Dachs Bide.
Unfortunately, the crew was not eligible to have their time recorded toward the York Cup as it had one too many boys rowing in the boat. It wasn't their fault - just a rare day at practice when there were more boys than girls attending and the goal was to get everyone in a boat.
Therefore the fastest official York Cup time recorded for the morning was recorded in the 'Unknown rowing with Red tape oars' with the time of 15 minutes 35 seconds. Despite experiencing breakage along the way in the form of ripped shoes and a broken seat during their race, the crew of coxswain Mikey Beverly, stroke Ali Bleakney, Olivia Tarbet, Eliott Artiga, Cam Hernandez, Yazid Bonilla, Caroline Artiga, Maddie Clayton, and Oliver Artiga held of a late charge from the crew racing in the '52.
Bearing no name, the shell is simply known as the 'Unknown' to rowers on the team.
“The York Cup is named in honor of Caren and Greg York, parents of former High Point rower Charles York, for their generous support of the youth rowing program,” says head coach Gene Kininmonth. "The idea behind the cup is to give our middle school and novice rowers an opportunity to race with our high school Seniors and Juniors. It can be very inspirational for them. It also helps unite the club as one. As a college freshman I raced a similar type of event with my club in Australia and had the chance to race with two Olympians. That meant so much to me and I hope our middle school rowers enjoyed it as much today."
All time record: 13 minutes 55 seconds set Spring 2025 by Sophia Foister, Max Ludemann, Cam Hernandez, Houser, Kaity Nicoletta, Reagan Gauldin, Kendal Hurley, and Jackson Murphey.
