East Arm Rowing Club wins gold at ‘World Championships'

Greenwood Lake - The East Arm Rowing Club (EARC) of Greenwood Lake had 20 rowers competing in 12 events at the “Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron” World Championships in Princeton, N.J., Sept. 7-10 at FISA is the governing body for the sport of rowing around the world. The event was attended by approximately 3,000 master rowers from 36 countries. Masters are rowers over the age of 27. East Arm’s men’s coxed C 4+ team of Jim Cody (Greenwood Lake), Cliff Williams (West Milford, N.J.), Robert Wagner (Greenwood Lake), Jeff Friedrichs and cox Richard Friedrichs (both of Hewitt, N.J.) won a gold medal with a time of 3:19.993, beating the field with open water by almost six seconds. This team recently returned from the Nationals in Seattle where they took home second- and third-place medals in the event. EARC’s Mixed C 4+ team of Jim Cody, Cliff Williams, Katie Cody and Sue Cagney were gold medal winners in Seattle. EARC was strongly represented with second- or third-places in almost all their races in Princeton. The crews rowed both sweep shells, used with one oar each rower, and sculling shells, used with two oars for each rower. The women’s crew consisted of Katy Glover (Warwick), Sue Cagney (Hewitt, N.J.), Jill Cronin (Greenwood Lake), Linda Dwyer (Greenwood Lake), Katie Cody (Greenwood Lake), Ann Williams (West Milford, N.J.), Kelley Gehrhardt (Greenwood Lake), Jean Zimmer (Greenwood Lake), and cox Frank Petrucci (Warwick) rowing both the 8+ and the 4+, quad and double. The Men’s crew was Alex Emodi (West Orange, N.J.), Cliff Williams, Jim Cody, Steve Simonfay (Chatham, N.J.), Simon Haysom (Warwick), Robert Wagner, Jeff Friedrichs, Mike Trainor (West Milford, N.J.), and Sue Cagney (cox) also rowing the 8+, 4+, quad, pair, and double. EARC was also privileged to have Rolf Heasloop of Durban, South Africa, rowing with them for the event. The World event signifies the end of a very successful sprint racing season for EARC. Longer three-plus mile head racing will continue until November.