Team USA Holds New Zealand to Second Place at the Boston Beach Sprints

The second edition of the Boston Beach Sprints, hosted by the same organization that runs the Head of the Charles Regatta, brought in competition from almost as far away as possible. Rowing New Zealand sent four of its top beach sprint athletes to compete in Boston last weekend, and they were joined by rowers from Clube de Regatas Botafogo, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And, of course, a host of U.S.-based competitors, including Team USA and Next Level Rowing, the elite coast rowing club founded by U.S. head coach Marc Oria.

By race end, Team USA, competing under the name of the USRowing Training Center in Chula Vista, California, had locked up the gold medals in the senior men’s solo and mixed double, and the entire podium in the women’s solo. New Zealand settled for second in the men’s solo and second and third in the mixed double.

The Kiwi rowers were essentially the 2026 beach sprint team announced by Rowing New Zealand back on July 17, but with one key change. Two-time world beach sprint champion (and Tokyo 2020 women’s single gold medalist) Emma Twigg is currently sidelined while she recovers from back surgery, and Holly Chaafe filled her spot.

While Twigg is by far New Zealand’s best, Chaafe’s results in that substitute role may have impressed. She beat her teammate Erin James in the quarterfinals of the women’s solo and her double with Matthew Dunham finished with silver, ahead of the other Kiwi boat.

The senior and junior podiums from the 2026 Boston Beach Sprints were:

CW1x:

1. Christine Cavallo – USRowing Training Center – Chula Vista (USA)
2. Sera Busse – USRowing Training Center – Chula Vista (USA)
3. Audrianna Boersen – USRowing Training Center – Chula Vista (USA)

CM1x:

1. Christopher Bak – USRowing Training Center – Chula Vista (USA)
2. Matthew Dunham – New Zealand
3. Renato Cesar Cataldo – Clube de Regatas Botafogo (Brazil) 

CMix2x:

1. Christopher Bak, Audrianna Boersen – USRowing Training Center – Chula Vista (USA)
2. Holly Chaafe, Matthew Dunham – New Zealand
3. Erin James, Sebastian Fulton – New Zealand

PR3 CMix2x:

1. Danielle Hansen, Gary Rought – Next Level Rowing (USA)
2. Elise Hill, Ryan Miranda – Next Level Rowing (USA)
3. Pearl Outlaw, Malachi Anderson – Next Level Rowing (USA)

U19 CW1x:

1. Emma Mayer – Elizabeth City Rowing Club (USA)
2. Olympia Catalino – Cambridge Boat Club (USA)
3. Allison Grove – Next Level Rowing (USA)

U19 CM1x:

1. Tim Mayer – Elizabeth City Rowing Club (USA)
2. Peter Mayer – Elizabeth City Rowing Club (USA)
3. Porter Redgate – Williamsburg Boat Club (USA)

U19 CW2x:

1. Colleen Carpenter, Allison Grove – Next Level Rowing (USA)
2. Olympia Catalino, Allegra Catalino – Cambridge Boat Club (USA)

U19 CM2x:

1. Sai Anish Maheshwaram, Leland Angel – Next Level Rowing (USA)
2. Josiah Dockins, David Bergeron – Amoskeag Rowing Club (USA)
3. Porter Redgate, Arden Aponte – Williamsburg Boat Club (USA)