by MARGOT COCHRAN
for Montclair Local
While the Winter Olympics are set to begin in South Korea this weekend, Montclair rowers will be competing in their own intramural Olympics Ergathon fundraiser in the Montclair High School gym on Midland Avenue this Sunday, Feb. 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event will include nation-themed teams, music, food and high-level competition.
The Mountie rowing teams made an impressive showing, winning the major high school categories at the Ironman Erg Classic at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey on Jan. 27. The Ironmen Classic has been a tremendous competition to test Montclair’s skills against a varied field of rowers from schools and clubs throughout New Jersey as well as a team from East Norwalk (Conn.), Conshohocken (Pa.), New Rochelle (N.Y.), and two from Nyack (N.Y.).
The rowers to beat this Sunday are Beate Kaz who won the 2,000 meter Womens High School Open by just under 10 seconds over Ridgewood in a field of 23 and Kenneth Coplan who took gold away from second place Christian Brothers Academy by five seconds in the Mens High School Open against 53 other competitors.
Also winning gold, Amelia Snyder dominated the Womens High School Freshmen competition with a three second lead over the rower from the Advanced Community Rowing Association (ACRA) of Nyack that came in second place. Chloe Rosenberg is the coxswain to beat after winning the all Montclair Womens High School Coxswain 1000-meter race.
Marley Pradieu will be the Womens lightweight rower to beat while Henry Skutch is the mens lightweight with the best time amongst the Montclairians. Ethan Coplan was Montclair’s fastest mens freshmen to compete at the Ironmen and will be the one to beat on Sunday.