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New Canaan, Westport Rowers Win Gold At U23 World Regatta

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- New Canaan’s Andrew Campbell and Westport’s Elizabeth Youngling won gold medals Sunday for the United States in the Under 23 World Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy.

New Canaan's Andrew Campbell won a gold medal Sunday at the Under 23 World Championships in Italy.

New Canaan's Andrew Campbell won a gold medal Sunday at the Under 23 World Championships in Italy.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of USRowing
Westport's Elizabeth Youngling, top row, second from left, was part of the U.S. Women's 8 that won gold at the U23 World Championships.

Westport's Elizabeth Youngling, top row, second from left, was part of the U.S. Women's 8 that won gold at the U23 World Championships.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of USRowing

Westport’s Alexander Perkins added another medal for Fairfield County rowers with a bronze.

Campbell won gold in the Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls. Campbell,  a 22-year-old graduate of Harvard, repeated his 2013 first-ever gold medal in the event for the U.S. and won the second-ever under 23 gold medal for the U.S. in any men’s sculling or lightweight event.

He led each of his preliminary races from start to finish and pulled ahead early in Sunday’s final. Halfway through the 2,000-meter race, it was evident there was no catching Campbell, who began his career at Maritime Rowing Club in Norwalk He won by two boat lengths.

“It’s amazing,” Campbell, said on the USRowing website. “I’m so happy to have been able to repeat last year’s performance. It’s hard coming back the next year, because you’re defending. To put that out of mind is difficult, but I think we did a good job handling it and taking this and its own separate piece.”

Youngling, a rising senior at the University of Virginia, won gold with the Women’s 8. Great Britain took second and Australia finished third. She formerly rowed at Saugatuck Rowing Club. 

Youngling was part of the women’s double that finished seventh at last year’s World U23 regatta. For Virginia, she was named to the CRCA All-South Region First Team in 2014 and was part of the ACC Champion Varsity Eight that was named ACC Crew of the Year in 2013 and 2014.

Perkins won a bronze with the Men’s Eight. New Zealand won the race, followed by Australia.

Erin Reelick, a former member of the Norwalk-based Connecticut Boat Club, won two gold medals. The Brookfield resident rowed for the Women’s 8 that won on Sunday and on the Women’s 4, which won gold on Saturday.

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