Orlando Area Rowing Society earns two top-10 finishes at Nationals

Junior pair Anna and Maija Andert finished fourth and women's WY4- in sixth in the nation.

By Megan Bruinsma
| 10:01 a.m. June 19, 2026

Maija and Anna Andert stood in front of the Nathan Benderson race course where they rowed in Nationals and finished in fourth place.

Sports
Youth Sports

Orlando Area Rowing Society competed in USRowing Youth Nationals Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, June 14. It was OARS' largest and final regatta of the 2026 season.

Two boats placed in the top 10.

Junior Anna and Maija Andert rowed for OARS' WY2- boat and made it to the A Final before finishing fourth in the nation. Last year the pair finished seventh. They were .11 seconds out of a bronze medal and .53 seconds behind silver.

OARS' A WY4- boat, which has no coxswain so the boat seat rower steers it, also made it to the A Final and placed sixth. The boat was rowed by Olympia High junior Ellie Mae Matej, Windermere High junior Emily Schurr, and Horizon High's sophomore Sofia Johnson and senior Liv Johnson.

Full OARS Results:

WY2-: Fourth
WY4- A: Sixth
WY4- B: 23rd
WY4+: 15th
WU174x: 19th
MU178+: 20th
MY2V8+: 22nd
MYV8+: 26th

author

Megan Bruinsma

Megan Bruinsma is a staff writer for the Observer. She recently graduated from Florida Atlantic University and discovered her passion for journalism there. In her free time, she loves watching sports, exploring outdoors and baking.