Submitted by Jennifer Zuch
Photos submitted by Nereid Boat Club
Nereid Boat Club was out in full force at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships at Mercer
Park. Out of 65 teams, consisting of high school-aged rowers from New Jersey, Virginia,
Delaware, DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Southern New York, Nereid rowed away with 9
medals and claimed the Overall Team Points Trophy as well as the Women’s Team Points
Trophy. Nereid won 4 Regional Championships, 3 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. Six other boats rowed competitively and made it into the final round. As a result, a total of 39 athletes in 9 boats qualified, and will be heading to Nationals in Sarasota, Florida in June.
According to Zach Spitzer, Head Coach, “We are very happy with the progress of the team. Of course, we always want more athletes to go to Nationals every year, so while we are excited about the opportunity of the current team, we are also excited to keep developing our younger athletes as well.”
Nereid is a community rowing organization located in Rutherford, New Jersey. Rowers from all over New Jersey, including Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Union counties travel to Nereid 6 days a week to train both on and off the water.
Ten Rowers from Rutherford medaled at Regionals and are heading to Nationals. Elliott Bullis, and Ella Gill and their boat of 4 took Gold and so did Olivia Mendelsohn and Emma Miguel-Rasteiro and their boat of 4 (U17).
Taking Silver with their respective boats were Billy Bush, JP Sprayberry, Kemal Cengiz and Catherine Miguel-Rasteiro. Coming in 4th place were Maggie Lee and Grace Saoud and their boat of 5 (including the coxswain). Rowers from Bogota, Chatham, Fort Lee, Glen Ridge, Mahwah, Montclair, Nutley, Ridgewood, Short Hills, Tenafly, and Weehawken are also Nationals bound.
According to Coach Jess Eiffert, “Nereid is a really special community where hard-working,
enthusiastic, disciplined kids continue to grow! We are always so excited to see Nereid continue to transform young athletes into mature incredible people.”
Nereid Boat Club was founded in 1868 and has a long and colorful history. Since Coach Zach
Spitzer and Coach Jess Eiffert came on board in 2020, Nereid’s Youth Program has seen
tremendous growth and success. In the past 3 years, Nereid youth teams have raced every year at Nationals and the Head of the Charles, and last year Nereid made a historic trip to England to race in the Henly Royal Regatta. In addition to the Youth Program, Nereid also has an adult Masters' program.