The Lightweight Four team, coaches and parent chaperones are back in Berkeley after a long, hot weekend at Lake Harsha. Race finals day, Sunday, dawned partly cloudy and relatively mild, with a gentle wind from the west- finally ideal rowing weather. The boys weighed in for the last time and launched for their 11AM Petite Final. Standing at the finish line, spectators can only see the last half of the races, but as the Ltwt Four petite race came into view, it was apparent the BHS boat was all alone out in front. BHS finished a good two boat lengths ahead of St. Joe (see photo), taking first place in 6:41. After the race, Evan Cohen, coxswain, said they walked through four boats and left St. Joe behind at the 1000 mark. When the other boats in the Ltwt Four Grand Final crossed the line a few minutes later, with Cincinnati Jrs taking the gold medal, the Berkeley boat had turned in a faster time than two of the other ltwt fours in the final.

Congrats to Evan, Zander, Graeme, Sam and Daniel. Thanks to alternate Jason Bowers for rigging help, Mark Shaw for making the travel arrangements, Chris and Gulliver for inspiration, and the parents who chaperoned, made food runs and provided the BHS petite cheering squad! Go Jackets!

Not to be outdone by the SATs and ACTs, the CAHSEE, the STAR, the AP exams or next month's plain-old finals, Berkeley High School's rowers tested themselves this weekend against many of the best boats in the country at the Southwest Junior Regional Championships on Lake Natoma. Facing clubs from Southern California and beyond, including the big ones from Newport, Long Beach and Marina, as well as Marin Rowing Association and the other northern California crews against whom it has competed week after week this spring, Berkeley High Crew put on two days of great and inspired performances. In all, five Berkeley boats made it through the qualifying heats and into the Grand Finals.