Bromfield Acton-Boxborough (BA-B) rowing is back in action and wasting no time. The girls under-19-years old (U19) varsity coxed quad (four rowers, with two oars each) won their event at the Community Rowing Fall Classic in Brighton on Sunday, Sep. 20.
Conditions were perfect for the three-mile head race on the Charles River: flat water, 60 degrees and sunny, with a slight tailwind. Coxswains from 53 schools and clubs steered their crews under four bridges. Last year’s contest was canceled due to construction on Eliot Bridge.
“Since our athletes rarely get a chance to row on the Charles River, I was really pleased at how they navigated the twists and turns of the second half of the famed Head of the Charles racecourse,” said Holly Hatton, head coach of the varsity girls. “The bow seat of the double, Gabby Shee, said her neck was aching after the race after having to look around so much. But she was pleased that the crew had kept close to the course she had plotted out for them on [fitness tracker] Strava.”
The boys first varsity 8 narrowly avoided T-boning a crew from Blood Street Sculls of Old Lyme, Connecticut, after a wide turn at North Beacon Street Bridge. They finished fifth in a field of 21. “It was the best-feeling 8 I have rowed in in my time at BA-B,” said Oscar Maxwell, an Acton senior and captain of the varsity boys.
“What a fantastic way to start off the season and the school year,” said Jay Manson, the rowing program director and head coach of the varsity boys. “We have only been on the water for a few weeks and our results were very strong. What is so exciting about these results is that we all know there is a lot of room for improvement, and it is great motivation to keep working at it.”
Manson added, “As a coaching staff we are so pleased with the senior leadership on the team. They set the tone for the team, and more than one official at the regatta mentioned to me how polite, respectful, and helpful BA-B is. Nothing can make you prouder as a coach.”
According to its website, BAB Rowing draws students from eighth grade and above from Acton, Boxborough and Harvard. It operates as a private club, not as a school sport. Registration is open to new rowers.
Jill Maxwell is a BA-B mom and auntie.
Results summary: Community Rowing Fall Classic, Brighton, Sept. 20
In the May 16, 2026 edition of the Acton Exchange, we provided a key for how to read the rowing results. For a refresher, see Who’s rowing what: A quick primer.
Varsity boys results
U19 4+: Mihir Vidhate, Xander Swydan, Ian Li, Eric Bian, and coxswain Gwynnie Poutasse: 14th, 21 minutes, 11.7 seconds
U19 1V8+: Hudson Weiss, Aidan Abayasinghe, Declan Magnuson, Max Weiss, Teddy Stoddard, Ben Rosenman, Hanfang Dong, Oscar Maxwell, and coxswain Mason Wade: fifth, 17:33.0
U19 2V8+: Aum Patil, Grant Goudie, Tristan Chi, Aadi Patil, Mihir Vidhate, Rowan Dubois, Grant Weidman, Sawyer Morgan, and coxswain Nolan Jennings: 20th, 21:41.10
Varsity girls results
2x: Gabby Shee and Simone Taylor: fourth, 23:44.9
4x+: Alice Yang, Etta Maxwell, Beth Belanger, Amelia McCormick, and coxswain Gwynnie Poutasse: first, 21:01.0
U19 4+: Piper Candon, Ellery Thomas, Annabelle Purcell, Alicia Tang, and coxswain Yuvika Rao: sixth, 21:44.9
U19 8+: Avery Lohin, Gabby Kim, Brownwyn Lemke, Julia Hayes, Ayah Fadeyi, Maroon Kendrick, Sophia Pierce, and coxswain Anika Mandloi: 16th, 22:24.6
