For a second year in a row, Ponte Vedra Beach resident Conor White was among a select group of 43 rowers and coxswains from across the nation who earned the right to represent the United States as a member of USRowing’s Junior National Development Team.
White, a rising senior at the Bolles School and member of the school’s State Championship Crew Team, was one of the athletes identified by USRowing as having the potential to represent the United States at the national and international level.
As a member of the Junior National Development Team, White trained in Pittsburgh since early June in preparation for representing the United States at USRowing’s Club National Championships in mid-July followed by competing against the Junior National Development Teams from Canada and Mexico, at the CanAmMex Regatta, in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
At USRowing’s Club National Championships, White and his Pairs partner, Peter Tortora, who attends Fairfield College Preparatory School in Connecticut, defeated 21 other teams from the United States, Canada and Mexico, to become US Junior National Champions in the Men’s Junior "A" Pair. The Pair is a two person boat and is considered one of the most difficult boats to compete in.
White also competed in the Men’s Intermediate 8+ boat which placed fifth in the finals out of 16 teams, competing against college age rowers. US Junior National Development Team members are typically 16 and 17 years of age.
In addition to competing at the Club National Championships, White was one of nine athletes selected from the 43 Junior National Development Team members to represent the United States in competition against the Junior National Development Teams of Canada and Mexico at the CanAmMex Regatta.
White continued the success he enjoyed at the national level by being part of two gold medal winning boats in this international competition. On July 19, White and Tortora again won gold for the United States by easily defeating the boats from Canada and Mexico.
Later that day, White and Tortora were successful again by winning gold for the United States as part of the 8+ boat.
White is looking forward to resuming rowing with his Bolles teammates this fall as the Bolles Crew Team prepares to continue the success they have had in winning Florida State Championships the past two years.
In addition to his success in winning 3 gold medals for the US Junior National Development Team at the national and international levels, White was selected to be the team’s official blogger. His blogs can be accessed through the USRowing Juniors website http://usrowingjrs.org/
