Local duo shines at regional event

Laguna Beach’s Jessica Fritz and Tyler Murphy gave strong performances

and helped guide their respective Newport Aquatic Center junior rowing

teams to high placings at last weekend’s US Rowing Assn.’s Southwest

Regional Championships held at Lake Natoma.

With Fritz in the role of stroke rower, the girls novice quad placed

second to Long Beach on a 2,000-meter course.

The other rowers were Meredith Irby, Claire McKay and Megan Brunette.

The coxswain was Aly Raymer. The novice quad finished in a time of

8:32.5.

Murphy was the stroke rower for the girls novice eight team that

placed fourth. Fritz also rowed in the event, as did Irby, Brunette, Dana

Hunt, Corinne Turner, Laurie Dabney and Jamie Horowitz. The coxswain was

Kristin Collins.

Fritz and Murphy are part of a rowing program at Newport Aquatic

Center that is a club sport designed for high school boys and girls who

are interested in learning the Olympic sport of rowing.

The philosophy behind the junior program is to provide a comprehensive

training program that develops an athlete’s muscular and aerobic system

while promoting teammwork, sportsmanship as well as a sense of

accomplishment.