Quaker Valley’s Kimmy discovers joy of rowing

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, March 26, 2018 | 11:00 PM

Quaker Valley sophomore Ben Kimmy planned to play baseball this spring, but recent success in another sport has made him change his mind.

Kimmy, 15, of Bell Acres set a meet record in winning the men's novice race at the North Allegheny Indoor Rowing Championship regatta Feb. 24. He did 2,000 meters on an erg in 6 minutes, 43.7 seconds, breaking a record that stood since 2014 by 1.2 seconds.

In January, Kimmy took first place at the Pittsburgh Indoor Rowing Championship (6:54) at Carnegie Mellon.

“I struggled for a long time deciding which sport to commit to this spring, but rowing has been a great experience and I would like to finish what I started,” he said. “I am really looking forward to getting back out on the water and putting my winter training to the test with the upcoming racing schedule.”

Kimmy, a member of the Three Rivers Junior Rowing team on Washington's Landing, did better than expected at the North Allegheny championship.

“I had just gotten back from the World Rowing Indoor Championship in Virginia, (where I) shaved five seconds off of my (personal record),” he said. “I was very surprised when, one week later, I was able to take six more seconds off of my PR.”

Kimmy (6:48.5) came in seventh of 46 place finishers in the junior (age 16) men's race at worlds.

Three Rivers Junior Rowing coach Matt Grau said it was awesome to see Kimmy set the record at North Allegheny.

Kimmy, 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, took up rowing last fall as a form of conditioning.

“I didn't realize how much I was going to like it until I saw the results of my efforts these past few weeks,” he said.

Kimmy, a member of the Quaker Valley JV baseball team last season, plans to return to the diamond in the summer “a lot faster and stronger than I was before,” he said.

Kimmy followed his sister into rowing. Tessa Kimmy, a Quaker Valley senior and Tennessee recruit, tied for second (7:18.2) in the junior (age 18) women's event at worlds.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.

Tags: Quaker Valley