Congratulations to Wilton High School rising sophomore Maia Andjelkovic and rising junior Cash Worthington, each of whom took home silver medals in their respective races at the 2023 US Rowing Youth National Championships held in Sarasota, FL earlier this month.

Andjelkovic earned silver in the U17 Women’s Double with rowing partner Ella Trudeau (Norwalk).

Worthington won silver in the U17 Men’s Quad with fellow rowers Felix Poydar (Katonah), Robbie Redpath (Weston), and Erik Huss (Darien), in a photo-finish race in which their boat was just a fraction of a second behind the leading boat.

  • Two Wilton High School students won silver medals at the 2023 US Rowing Youth National Championships: Maia Andjelkovic (left) and Cash Worthington (right). Credit: contributed
  • The 2023 US Rowing Youth National Championships silver medalists in the men’s quad included WHS student Cash Worthington (far left). Credit: contributed
  • The 2023 US Rowing Youth National Championships silver medalists in the men’s quad included WHS student Cash Worthington. Credit: contributed
  • The 2023 US Rowing Youth National Championships silver medalists in the women’s double included WHS student Maia Andjelkovic (right). Credit: contributed

This year’s Youth Nationals was the largest ever, with 225 clubs and 4,000 athletes competing in a scorching heat index of 100 degrees. One month before, both WHS athletes also medaled in the US Northeast Regional Rowing Championships in Worcester (silver for Andjelkovic, gold for Worthington) to qualify them for Nationals.

The pair row with Norwalk River Rowing Association (NRRA), a non-profit community rowing club on what boosters said is an “undeniable” winning streak this year. Norwalk River Rowing draws middle school and high school rowers from towns across Fairfield County.

After a strong showing at Northeast Regionals in May, 25 NRRA athletes in total in seven boats qualified for Nationals this year, besting some of the largest crew teams across the country. Eleven of the NRRA rowers who earned coveted spots to compete at Nationals were WHS students, including Anna Coppola, Savona Bocchino, Mackenzie Mitchell, Conor Wetzel, Luke Jameson, Max Reznik, Ella Carbonaro, Sofia Blessing, and Evan McDonnell, in addition to Andjelkovic and Worthington.

  • A Finals — National Medalists
    • Silver — Women’s U17 Doubles: Maia Andjelkovic (WHS), Ella Trudeau (stroke)
    • Silver — Men’s U17 Quad: Cash Worthington (Bow, WHS), Robert Redpath, Erik Huss, Felix Poydar
  • B Finals
    • 1st place finish/9th in Nation — Women’s U17 Quad: Zoe Bienstock, Anna Coppola (WHS), Savona Bocchino (WHS), MacKenzie Mitchell (WHS)
  • C Finals — Top 30 boats in the nation
    • Men’s U19 Double: Alex Blaskiewicz, Evan McDonnell (WHS)
    • Men’s U19 Quad: Conor Wetzel (WHS), Luke Jameson (Bow, WHS), Max Reznik (WHS), Roberto Toraty
    • Women’s U19 Quad: Ella Carbonaro (WHS), Abby Carpenter, Sofia Blessing (WHS), Sophie Brauweiler

Both Silver medalists credit NRRA’s Learn to Row program as their entree to the sport in the last two years. NRRA’s entire program is designed and overseen by former US Olympic rowing head coach Steve Quaglian and the guidance of coaches Bob Florio, Vinny Houston and Ford Smith.