OAK RIDGE, Tenn. - This weekend more than 1,500 high school and junior rowers descended upon Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn., to compete at the 19th Annual USRowing Youth National Championship Regatta.

The athletes came from all across the country with participants from 30 different states competing. These competitors represent the best of the best in the sport, so says Ed Moran with the USRowing Association, "You don't just come here. These are the best youth and junior rowers in the country. We've got 361 crews. Everybody who comes here and wins here leaves as a youth national champion."

This is the second consecutive year that Oak Ridge has hosted the event and it is scheduled to host again in 2013.