Nauset Duo Kaser, Peck Earn Gold At Textile River Regatta

After months of training on the water, everything came together for Kayden Kaser and Lilli Peck. Representing Cape Cod Community Youth Rowing, the Nauset teammates and Brewster residents captured gold in the women’s junior under-17 race in the Textile River Regatta on Oct. 6 on the Merrimack River in Lowell. Kaser, a sophomore, and Peck, a junior, cruised to victory, finishing in 20:13.90 — nearly 45 seconds faster than the second-place finisher. “It was hard, but it felt so nice,” Kaser said. “We were coming by and passed a couple boats but we weren’t really sure how we were doing. Then we passed them all at the end, and it felt so great.” Peck began rowing when she was in fifth grade, and Kaser joined the program in seventh. Although the pair both had experience rowing, it wasn’t until last fall that they started working together as a doubles tandem. “The first few years Kayden was rowing, I didn’t know her super well but over the last summer we became close friends and started hanging out outside of crew and we started working together a lot in the doubles at practice,” Peck said. “All of our time together on the water has made us a great pair.” “We got really close (competing on a double) because we’re always practicing together all the time,” added Kaser. “We raced together last year and finished in the middle of the pack, but this year we stuck with it and we really bonded.” Kaser operates in the front of the boat and sets the pace in the stroke seat, while Peck steers the boat while positioned in the bow. Although they practice on the water three times per week, the pair also push each other off the water while working out at the gym. The duo realized they work well together and possess a trust in each other that translates to success on the water. “I think that’s so important in a sport like this — you really have to have that trust with each other,” Kaser said. “During our race, it felt like we were one vessel together, and that’s so important if you want to row well.” Both Nauset students appreciate rowing for the challenge it presents. For Peck, who spends her winters playing on the Warriors’ hockey team, rowing channels a different passion and forces her to push herself in ways that are incomparable to other sports. “Hockey is focused on strategy and you can outthink others,” she said. “Rowing has a little bit of strategy, but it’s more about how you and your team can push yourself to the farthest extent to outpace the other boats and get out ahead of them. I love that it’s you and your boat and how far you can go.” The pair weren’t the only Cape rowers to capture gold at the regatta. Jedidiah Noble finished first in his men’s junior U17 race with a time of 19:56.90, and Finn Valli (Cape Cod Tech) and Jack Bohlin (Sturgis) took second in their men’s junior U17 race after finishing in 19:37.24. Peck credited Brewster police officer Neil Bohlin for stepping up to lead the team this year. “We didn’t have a dedicated coach available,” she said, “so Neil stepped up to coach. We really appreciated everything he did for us.”