Santa Cruz rower Jordan Vanderstoep, teammate John Chuter capture gold at junior nationals

The Los Gatos Rowing Club’s Jordan Vanderstoep and John Chuter have a clear lead approaching the finish line of the pairs final at the US Rowing Youth National Championships in Oak Ridge, Tenn. (Veronica Vanderstoep/Contributed)

Santa Cruz native Jordan Vanderstoep skipped one celebration for another over the weekend.

The senior from Georgiana Bruce Kirby Prep didn’t go to his own graduation. Instead, he and his Los Gatos Rowing Club teammate John Chuter secured the gold, finding a whole other reason to celebrate after going undefeated in the men’s pair over the weekend at the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Vanderstoep and Chuter crossed the finish line of the final heat in 7 minutes, 11.543 seconds for the national title. Saratoga’s Arik Torkelson and Liam Casey finished as the runners-up [7:16.111] and the Sarasota Scullers’ Conor Davenport and Joseph Pantera placed third [7:17.572].

Vanderstoep and Chuter earlier won their first heat in 7:19.606 with nearly a five-second lead over the next closest boat. They advanced from there to the semifinals, where they eked out a win in 7:31.653 — just two seconds over the next closest team.

The Los Gatos Rowing Club’s Jordan Vanderstoep and John Chuter are all smiles after winning the pairs final at the US Rowing Youth National Championships in Oak Ridge, Tenn. (Veronica Vanderstoep/Contributed)

Vanderstoep also medaled in the 4s with coxswain, taking bronze in the final. His LGRC team, headed by Benton Chuter, crossed the finish line in 6:46.550. Deerfield, led by Brad Plunkett, won the national title in 6:40.967.

LGRC also qualified for 8s, but did not send a team.

In the fall, Vanderstoep will attend Cal, where he will be on the crew team.

Results in this report are from the U.S. Rowing website.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter @CGullTweets

Outrigger Santa Cruz teams collect wins at Memorial Day Ho’e Wa’a race

Three Outrigger Santa Cruz crews walked away from the Memorial Day Ho’e Wa’a canoe race in Monterey with wins on Saturday, according to results posted on the Northern California Outrigger Canoe Association website.

The OSC men’s team won its open division, crossing the finish line of the 9-mile race in 1 hour, 19 minutes, 50 seconds — almost a full minute ahead of runner-up Tamalpais Outrigger Canoe Club Blue [1:20:52]. Hui Wa’a Canoe and Kayak was third [1:22:43] in what was the mostly highly contested race of the event with 11 entrants.

The OSC masters women’s team also pulled off a win in its division, crossing the finish line in 1:22.24. Northern California Outrigger Canoe was second [1:22.58] and another OSC team was third [1:26.09].

And finally, the OSC’s senior masters women’s team also pulled off a win in its division, beating the only other entrant by about 11 and a half minutes. OSC finished in 1:26.34 and Ohana Wa’a finished in 1:38 even.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter @CGullTweets

Santa Cruz’s Jordan Vanderstoep qualifies for junior rowing nationals

Georgiana Bruce Kirby Prep student Jordan Vanderstoep is on the final leg of his junior rowing career before heading to Cal — and is he ever making it count.

At the US Rowing Southwest Junior District Championships on Lake Namota in Golder River over the weekend, Vanderstoep and his Los Gatos Rowing Club teammates powered to three wins in their early heats and qualified for nationals in the pair, 4s and 8s.

His took silver with his partner in the pair and bronze with his teams in 8s and 4s, according to results on the US Rowing website.

In the pair final, Vanderstoep and his teammate crossed the finish line in 6 minutes, 59.60 seconds – just two seconds after winner Marin [6:57.60].

In the varsity 8s final (plus coxswain), the LGRC team took third in 6:20.18. Marin won in 6:07.60 and Long Beach Junior Crew was runner-up in 6:18.10.

In the varsity 4s final (plus coxswain), LGRC crossed the finish line in 6:56.50. Marin’s A team won in 6:53.60 and Marina Aquatic Junior was second in 6:56.

Nationals are scheduled for June 10 in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter @CGullTweets

Kirby’s Jordan Vanderstoep, Los Gatos Rowing Club rally for win in San Diego Crew Classic

Jordan Vanderstoep and his Los Gatos Rowing Club teammates during the San Diego Crew Classic the weekend of March 31, 2012. Contributed by Veronica Vanderstoep.

Jordan Vanderstoep and his Los Gatos Rowing Club teammates placed third in their first race at the San Diego Crew Classic over the weekend. They missed the win by three seconds — but they didn’t let it happen again, rallying to capture a victory in their consolation final.

Vanderstoep, a Georgiana Bruce Kirby senior who has committed to Cal’s storied crew program, and his team lost by three seconds in the second heat of the Men’s Junior race of the William Robinson Memorial Cup. They crossed the finish line in 6 minutes, 26.38 seconds to winner St. Ignatius’ 6:23:00 and runner-up Newport AC’s 6:23.46, according to results on the event’s site.

They then advanced to the men’s junior petite race, where they dominated runner-up Capital Crew of Sacramento by more than four seconds. LGRC crossed the finish line in 6:16.44 to Capital’s 6:21.36, and Oakland Strokes placed third.

The San Diego Crew Classic is and annual regatta and the largest on the West Coast.

Up next, Vanderstoep plans to race with his LGRC teammates at the Rose City Invitational at Lake Vancouver in Washington state. They will race in 8s, 4s and doubles.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter at CGullTweets

Note: An earlier version of this post indicated the Men’s Junior race was a “B” race. It was actually the “B,” or second, heat. This version has been updated to reflect that.