Monona Invite

Sunday, April 19 - Madison, WI - Brittingham Boathouse - 617 N. Shore Drive

The Juniors will face tough competition to begin the racing season, lining up against Chicago Rowing Foundation, St Louis Rowing Club, Camp Randall Rowing Club and New Trier High School. The Monona Invite is hosted by Camp Randall, and racing is held on their home course on Lake Monona. Racing will consist of novice and varsity events in eights and fours. All races are 2000m in length. Lineups and racing schedule are available below. Go Milwaukee!

Athlete Spotlight

Allison Brunner

Senior at Whitefish Bay High School

When/Why began:

I began rowing the summer before sophomore year. A friend wanted to join, so I thought I would too. It sounded fun and something new to do.

Future Plans:

I plan on furthering my rowing career at Indiana University next year! Really excited to represent MRC at the collegiate level with Alli Spencer!

Favorite Race & why:

Midwest Champs because this race is where all of your hard work and progress as an athlete as well as a team get put to the test in the race to get to nationals. Also because the teams we race are the teams that we compete mentally and physically against in fight club during the winter. 

Favorite Season:

My favorite season is without a doubt, spring. The races in the spring are so short, but have the ability to push you to your physical limit. Its awesome to see everyone training hard and getting faster everyday.

Athlete Spotlight

Matt Kelly

Junior at Shorewood High School

When/Why began rowing:

During my seventh grade year, my mom taught Joe Cincotta's daughter at her preschool.  As we got to know Joe more (and seeing the Social Network) I realized it was the best sport for me.

Future plans:

For future college plans, I would love to go to Univ. of Florida.  My dad went to school there and I was born there.  

Favorite aspect of rowing:

Favorite thing about rowing is that it defines people in a good way, for me at least.  It's shows anybody that you are committed to hard work.  Other than boxing, rowing is by far the hardest sport ever made and it's helped me take on bigger things.

Favorite rowing season & why:

I love the winter.  It's a time where things are narrowed down.  Don't have to worry about the rush or set in the boat and no issues with the weather.  95% of the time you don't have to worry about anybody else but yourself and how you can get stronger.  

What motivates you to work hard:

What motivates me the most is reaching my potential and goals.  I feel that I have a lot of potential I don't want to walk out knowing I didn't take advantage of it 

Favorite race & why:

My favorite race has to be the 1000m sprint in Chicago.  It is a race many people enjoy watching because we race one on one with another team instead of racing against time in the fall races

Interests/hobbies outside of practice:

As one of my interests is that I love collecting vinyls and John Mayer.  I love his music.  Outside of rowing, I run a club at school where we go down to Clarke Street Elementary school and help kids with their homework

Proudest accomplishment in your life so far:

Well for rowing, breaking 7 minutes on my 2k was my proudest moment in this sport. 

Role model & why:

I have a lot but in rowing, I have to say I looked up to James Lueken a lot in my earlier years in this sport.  He used to be our team captain.  He was a good rower and he had a lot of dedication and I respected that

Interesting fact about yourself:

I have the fattest cat in Wisconsin

Favorite quote:

"There's always money in the banana stand."-George Bluth, Arrested Development

Athlete Spotlight

Emily Cerbins

Junior at Whitefish Bay High School 

When/Why began rowing: 

I began rowing the summer before my freshman year in high school. My family heard about the Milwaukee Rowing Club through Peter, who my mom worked with at the time. 

Favorite workout: 

One of my all time favorite work outs has always been the 5x5min, whether it is on the water or the erg. I remember the first time I did this workout my freshman year between two varsity girls at the time. It really pushed me because I was intimidated to be sitting next to them, but they encouraged me to do my best throughout the entire workout. 

Favorite aspect of rowing: 

While it goes without saying one of my favorite aspects of rowing is the strong team we have built over the last couple of years, I have always loved spring-style racing. Whether we’re at practice, warming up down a race course next to our competition, or simply at the start of the race. I love being within inches of another boat. Especially, when you know that you’re entire team has given everything at the end of the race, has worked the entire season to get where we are today, and left it all out on the water. 

What motivates you to work hard?: 

I’ve always been motivated to work hard by my parents, friends, and teammates. Along with the outside motivation, I always try to strive to be the best that I can be, on and off the water in everything that I do. 

Favorite race & why: 

My favorite race that I’ve rowed in was last year in Midwest. Our eight made it into the grand final and we left it all out on the race course that day. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience due to the hard work every single girl in the boat put in and knowing that we gave it our all. 

Interests/hobbies outside of practice:

 I actually have been playing piano for about eight years and still continue to take lessons every single week. While rowing is the first sport that I absolutely fell in love with, piano was my first hobby I found I couldn’t live without. Another one of my favorite hobbies has always been camping. Whether it was backpacking for a month in Idaho, or kayaking for a couple of weeks in Lake Superior, going on tripping adventures has always been a big part of my life. 

Athlete Spotlight

Cole Wirth

Junior, Class of 2016 at Wauwatosa East High School

When/Why began rowing

I began rowing the summer of 2011 before I entered 8th grade.  I played club volleyball for years before I started my rowing career, but I never had the best hand eye coordination...so I was looking for a different sport.  My brother was already on the team so I did learn to row and soon found that rowing was a sport like no others I had previously known.  After I made it through my first winter season and we got back on the water in spring, I knew I rowing was my new sport.

Favorite workout:

My favorite workout is 2 by Milwaukee River Challenge course against my teammates in 8's.  Starting from behind, catching up to the other boats, and passing them on the strategic points of the course makes for a competitive environment right away.  After that first piece you feel tired and drained of your energy, but then you and your teammates push each other to throw down an even faster piece the second time around.

Favorite rowing season & why

Spring is easily my favorite rowing season.  After spending moths indoors erging there is no better feeling that to start practicing on the water again.  Spring racing brings the fastest competition of any season, and everybody is always pushing to train harder than all the teams we see at Midwest.

What motivates you to work hard?

My motivation to work hard comes from the mindset of wanting to qualify for another national championship. Coach Peter's occasional yelling also gets to you here and there.

Favorite race & why

My favorite races were the series of races at Nationals in Oak Ridge Tennessee in 2013. I was coxing our Men's 4+ and we had no idea what to expect at this level when we lined up at the starting block of our heat. Glancing left and right we were racing teams we had never raced before and we were the underdogs from Milwaukee. We took 3rd in our heat, 1st in our repechage, 2nd in our semi-final, and then 6th overall in the nation.  This race motivates me everyday to get back to this point with my team as a rower now.

Interesting fact about yourself

I broke my right wrist twice and had a blue cast both times.