Rye's Girls Varsity Eight came home from England as national champions and international semifinalists, and Mayor Josh Nathan honored the nine-member crew Wednesday for clinching RowAmerica Rye's third consecutive national title.

The crew won gold at the U.S. National Championships on June 14, then crossed the Atlantic for the Henley Royal Regatta, reaching the semifinals before returning home to a hero's welcome.

This single crew's title is part of something much bigger: RowAmerica Rye's boys and girls varsity eight boats have combined for six national championships in the past four years, according to Director of Rowing Marko Serafimovski. "While last night's recognition highlights one championship crew, it's truly a celebration of the success and dedication of the entire club," Serafimovski said.

The program's pipeline keeps sending athletes to the highest levels of the sport. Claire Van Praagh, a rising Stanford sophomore and USRowing's 2025 U19 Athlete of the Year, and George Dolce, a rising Princeton sophomore, will both represent the U.S. at the U23 World Rowing Championships in Duisburg, Germany, from July 23-26 — Van Praagh in the Women's Coxless Four, Dolce in the Men's Quadruple Sculls.

RowAmerica Rye alum Gus Rodriguez is pursuing a place on the U.S. Senior National Team, already earning a silver medal at World Rowing Cup II in the coxless pair alongside Olympian Peter Chatain, finishing just behind the reigning world champions from New Zealand. Serafimovski said he's hopeful Rodriguez earns his spot, though the selection process is still ongoing.

Rye residents can follow Van Praagh and Dolce when the U23 World Championships begin July 23 in Duisburg.