by Dana Kelly, Lake County Rowing Association
At the 2026 FSRA Sculling State Championships held this weekend at Nathan Benderson Park, Lake County Rowing Association (LCRA) delivered a landmark performance, highlighting the program’s competitive depth on the state stage. LCRA ranked 21 out of 47 teams that competed this weekend. The women’s team ranked 11 out of 42 teams!
Leading the charge, Sophia Picciano successfully defended her title in the Girls Lightweight Single, earning back-to-back state championships—a remarkable achievement that cements her as one of the premier lightweight scullers in Florida. Her repeat victory set the tone for a historic weekend for LCRA.
Adding to the historic weekend, teammate Kayla Young captured bronze with a 3rd-place finish in the Girls Lightweight Single, marking a defining moment for the program as two LCRA athletes stood together on the state podium.
LCRA’s presence was felt across the entire competition. Six boats advanced through intense preliminary rounds to reach the A Finals, placing them among the top crews in the state and putting them in real contention for state titles. The depth and consistency across events underscored the strength of the entire roster.
Among the standout performances, freshman Tyler Young made an immediate impact in his debut championship appearance for the Boys’ Freshman Single, qualifying for the A finals and finishing Top 10 in the state.
In the Boys Lightweight Double (2x), the duo of Joshua Bowser and Jack Power delivered a strong performance, racing the 1,500-meter course in 5:56.59, earning them the 7th fastest time in a competitive field of eighteen crews.
The Freshman Girls 2x of Stella Melendez and Ryan Caridi entered the finals ranked 2nd out of 18 crews after a strong qualifying performance, and went on to secure an impressive 6th place overall.
LCRA delivered an outstanding performance in the Girls Jr 4x competitive heats, fielding two crews in the same event. Both crews pushed through fierce competition at the A finals, securing 6th and 7th rank in the state. With meaningful milestones achieved, LCRA leaves Sarasota grateful for the progress made and proud of the effort shown by every athlete. Next up: FSRA Sweep Championships, April 25–26.
