For the second straight year, the Connecticut Boat Club has traveled 3,000 miles to compete in the San Diego Crew Classic. And as in 2010, the long trip proved tremendously successful.

CBC won two gold medals Sunday: the Women's High School Varsity Gillman-Mulilken Cup and the Women's High School Junior Varsity ZLAC Rowing Club Cup.

"It was really special to win with only three returning varsity members and the coxswain from last year's winning boat, and two returning JV rowers and cox from last year's winning boat,'' CBC coach Liz Trond said. "The new athletes really stepped up their training and focus this winter, and showed their potential and determination on the water."

The varsity crew won with Norwalk coxswain Katherine Isaza, Southport's Rosie and Lucy Grinalds, Greenwich's Abbie Frey, New Canaan's Abby Stevenson, Fairfield's Maddie Stearns, Darien's Christine Bragg, India Knight from the Convent of the Sacred Heart and Greenwich's Heather Oudheusden. They were timed in 7:01.8, followed by Marin in 7:06.29.

In the JV race, the team was comprised of coxswain Alissa Hornung of Weston, Greenwich's Lexie Lynn, Ridgefield's Meg Galloway, Sacred Heart Academy's Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Darien's Emily Crump, New Canaan's Jaclyn Cloud, Wilton's Victoria Babchak and Caroline Cochran and Alex Enzor from Darien. They were timed in 7:15.4, followed by Oakland Strokes in 7:20.54.

The meet featured teams primarily from the West Coast. Both CBC boats won their heats on Saturday, racing for the first time this spring. Most of the other competitors had 2 to 4 races already this season.

"Our race plan was to have a clean start sequence, and if we were behind, just to stay patient and start clawing our way back into the pack of boats with our power and fitness,'' Trond said. "We wanted to race our race, to our capacity, not get nervous about what any other crews were doing."

Both CBC boats led at the halfway point and pulled away in the second part of the race. Trond credited the team's winter work at Darien Sport and Fitness with helping them get the season off to a strong start. CBC returns this week to compete in the Greenwich Invitational on Saturday.

What do you think about CBC's twin victories in San Diego? Start the discussion below!