Noah Holst and Andy Vizecky consider themselves as close as brothers, a friendship forged rowing in and around Lake Phalen on St. Paul’s East Side and cemented when the two teens won the youth doubles race this fall during Boston’s prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta.

The three-mile international regatta, one of the rowing world’s biggest competitions, draws some 400,000 spectators to the banks of the Charles River and is better known for its university-level and master’s events. Holst, 17, and Vizecky, 15, who are both in high school, participate in Lake Phalen Rowing, a youth program that accepts all skillsets. Head coach Mike DuPont, who is Holst’s uncle, said rowing has become a big part of his nephew’s life, and other teens who have dipped their oars have become equally engaged.

Despite the Minnesota moniker “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” the state is not known as a hotbed for rowing. The University of Minnesota has men’s and women’s rowing teams, but only the women’s team is considered a Division I team under the NCAA.

DuPont said Lake Phalen Rowing is meant to help youth become athletes, regardless of previous athletic experience, and participants hail from across the metro area to train for national and international races. The program does not turn anyone away regardless of skill level or financial ability.

Many, though not all, of the rowers are in high school and participate in other club and school sports. Holst attends North St. Paul High School and Vizecky plays hockey for Mounds View High School.

Holst got involved with his uncle’s program four seasons ago. He said winning the regatta, which was held Oct. 18-20, was a special moment.

Drills got underway in earnest about three months before the race, Holst said. “There was really intense training and runs during the summer,” he said.

Holst and Vizecky won the regatta by 11 seconds, beating other teams from around the world, DuPont said.

Holst didn’t let a change in water conditions and environment stop him, as he had prepared to handle varied conditions. He controlled the front of the boat, known as the bow, which requires steering.

“We train on Lake Jarvis, which is connected to Lake Phalen, and we go under bridges and through tunnels,” Holst said.

Winning one of the biggest global competitions is an honor that Vizecky said he will always remember, especially after sharing it with a close friend like Holst.

“It’s very exciting, obviously,” Vizecky said. “You work all year to get to win such a prestigious event and obviously there was a lot of work and training that came into play. It justifies all the time that you put in to get what you wanted at the end.”

Friendships and training

Vizecky said the strong connections he’s forged with the entire team provide competitive motivation and have deepened his friendships, even while working with rowers with a variety of skillsets.

“You’re best friends with everyone on the team and that fosters a good team environment,” Vizecky said. “It also helps you be competitive because you know it’s good to be competitive on the water, but at the end of the day, they’re your friends off the water, too.”

The rowers undergo strenuous training in-season and off-season, said DuPont, because they want to be better and stronger. The training and practices also boost the rowers in other sports.

“These kids are fast because they want to be fast,” DuPont said. “They want to win, they want to go for broke. They want to win and they’re willing to put in the time to win.”

“We are a program for the community,” he added. “Even if you’re not the fastest rower, you are still training with the fastest rowers. Those kids get faster just by being with faster kids.”

The teens said the path toward becoming national champions was as rewarding as earning the title.

“Trusting the process is a big lesson you learn, but another big one is trusting yourself,” Vizecky said.

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