RECENT NEWS

Join Team Resolute for the 2010 USRowing Masters National Championships August 12-15 on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ. Stop by our tent and say hi to Casey Baker and the rest of Team Resolute. Get ready for the fall racing season. We are offering great incentives on all our shells including the Extreme Graphic boats.

Resolute Racing Shells is proud to announce the addition of Troy Duff to our Resolute team. He brings over 15 years of experience as an athlete and coach.

Troy began his rowing career at West Springfield High in Virginia in 1992 and went on represent the US in the 1995 Junior World Games in Poznan Poland in the coxed 4. During his studies at Syracuse University he rowed as part of the First Freshman 8+ and then on the Varsity 8+ team. After college Troy went back to his roots at West Springfield High and began his coaching career as the assistant coach in sculling. Over the next 8 years he coached a variety of both men’s and women’s crews. Loving the sport the way he does though, he found a way to keep his hand in the game by becoming a USRowing Judge Referee in 2006.

Troy’s primary focus will be developing new customers and working with existing customers. He will be geographically located in Virginia for accounts in the Mid-Atlantic area. Troy said: “I am looking forward to representing not only the great shells Resolute makes but the team that makes them. I find myself in that fortunate position of being able to make a career out of doing something I love.” Rick LaViolette, President and CEO, said: “The Mid-Atlantic area is one of the fastest growing regions and Troy’s coming on board could not have come at a better time. With all of the great programs located there we will now be able to provide more immediate and personalized service to our customers there. Director of Sales, Jeff Sturges said: “We welcome Troy with his combination of rowing, coaching and officiating experience. We are confident that his expertise will be a valuable asset to our world class customers. Troy added: “Look for me at regattas if you need help with parts, repairs or just need a new boat. You can’t miss me. My license plate reads “Rzolute”.”

Team Resolute had a great time at the ACRA’s and wanted to say thanks to all the crews that stopped by and said hello. The team wanted to send out a special thanks to the volunteers who helped out in the tent for this event.

Diane Etzel sent us these great shots of the Bucknell Men’s Varsity 8+ team who won silver. This race was especially poignant for the crew as they actually missed Bucknell’s graduation so they could row one last time together in this event.  Friends and family held a special graduation ceremony in Oklahoma City after the racing. Ms. Etzel, whose son was in the winning boat, said: “All of the seniors on the Bucknell Crew Team were freshman walk-on’s in 2007 when they won the Gold at the Dad Vail. Their coach Paul Bugenhagen has been an amazing coach and mentor. What a memorable weekend for all of us. In my next life I am coming back as a rower!”

Team Resolute thoroughly enjoyed their trip to Philadelphia and wanted to say thanks to all the crews that stopped by and said hello. The team wanted to send out a special thanks to Paige Rittinger who volunteered her time to help out in the tent on Saturday.

Our Marketing Manager, Leann Boggs took these great photos of a few of the winning Resolute teams. For a complete list of Resolute wins check out our Regatta Wins page under the Community tab.

Boys Lightweight  8+ // Woodbridge High School

Girls Freshman 8+ // Lawrenceville High School

Boys Second 8+ // St. Andrew School

Team Resolute got a chance to take an evening stroll around the Philadelphia Art Museum and then enjoy some Philly Cheese Steaks.

Will Torres, Eddie DaSilveira, Noel Torres, Carlos Cativo

Noel, Leann, Will, Carlos, and Eddie

Resolute Racing Shells is proud to announce the addition of Michiel Bartman to our Resolute team. He brings over 30 years of experience as an athlete and coach.

For Michiel rowing is life. He was a national team member for the Netherlands from 1993-2004. In 1994 he won Bronze at the World Championships in the coxed four in Indianapolis, the Silver medal in the Dutch Eight in 1995 and Olympic Gold in the Dutch Eight in 1996 Atlanta. He made a successful switch to sculling winning an Olympic Silver in 2000 Sydney and Worlds silver in 2001 Lucerne in the quad. In 2004 Athens it was back into the Dutch Eight again to win Olympic Silver and finish his rowing career to take up the Head Coaching position at the prestigious Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia. He trains and coaches at Vesper Boat Club ambitious college graduates who want to compete for the USA at the World Championships and Olympic Games.

Michiel’s primary focus will be developing new customers and working with existing customers. Michiel will be geographically located in Philadelphia for accounts in Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. “The first time I saw the Resolute in 1995, I was intrigued by the build, design and quality.” Michiel said. Rick Laviolette, President and CEO of Resolute said, “We realize the importance of Philadelphia with its existing, growing and powerful rowing community. The addition of Michiel to our team provides Resolute more flexibility in this region and adds another highly valuable resource that our customer base can tap into. As a seasoned competitive rower and coach, Michiel provides our customers, most of whom are also coaches and rowers, the detailed answers they seek. Michiel is truly the premier consultant in this region and has already had an enormous impact with many top programs in the area. We welcome Michiel and are proud to have him as part of the Resolute team.”

Join Team Resolute for the 3^rd annual ACRA National Championship Regatta in the Boathouse District, Downtown Oklahoma City, OK on May 22^nd and 23^rd.  Watch as the top collegiate club rowing teams battle for the opportunity for a national title. Stop by our tent and say hi to Gene Jeffords, Casey Baker and the rest of Team Resolute. Be sure to ask about the exclusive “ACRA” shell specials. We are offering great incentives on all our shells including the Extreme Graphic boats.

Don’t forget to stock up on Z gear. Check out our latest t-shirt design that made its debut at the Stotesbury Regatta to rave reviews.

We will see you on the Oklahoma!

Join Team Resolute for the 84^th Anniversary of the Stotesbury Cup Regatta this May 14^th and 15^th.  Try Philly’s world famous cheese steaks, enjoy the racing and stop by our tent and say hi to Frank and Cindy Sands and the rest of the team. Be sure to ask about the exclusive “Stotesbury” shell specials. We are offering great incentives on all our shells including the Extreme Graphic boats.

Don’t forget to stock up on Z gear. Check out our latest t-shirt design and make sure you pick up a free goodie bag.

We will see you on the Schuylkill!

Resolute  is excited to announce the addition of Alexander Cavell to the Resolute team. Alex brings over 20 years of rowing experience as a coach, athlete, and competitor to Resolute.

Alex first began rowing at school and later at Oxford Brookes University where he has spent several years competing at Henley Royal Regatta. Alex’s coaching career began in 2003, as Head Coach of the Oxford University Women's Lightweight Varsity Crew. During this time he coached medal winning crews at HWR, the National Championships, BUCS, and the European Universities Rowing Championships. Alex has also coached crews selected for the England team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and qualified crews for The Remenham Challenge Cup and The Princess Royal Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta.

Alex will lead the UK Sales & Marketing strategy for the UK and Europe with his primary focus on developing new business and maintaining strong relationships current UK customers. Alex will focus on the superior engineering qualities that make Resolute the number one choice for investment in the shell market and in performance racing capability. Alex said: “I am passionate about rowing and excited to be introducing clubs, coaches and rowers to the experience of winning with Resolute.” Rick Laviolette, President and CEO of Resolute said: “Having Alex join our team will enable us to expand into the overseas markets in a way never before available. His wealth of knowledge will be a welcome asset to Team Resolute.”

On April 3, 2010 Resolute Racing Shells joined the University of Rhode Island Men’s rowing team and dignitaries for the dedication of their new Resolute 8+ “Hope”.

It was a beautifully balmy sunny day at the URI Campanella Boathouse on the Narrows River in Kingston, Rhode Island, a complete turnaround in the weather that left our state dealing with historic flooding earlier in the week. The Rams, after winning in their Resolutes, the Varsity 8+, Varsity 4+, and Novice 4+ races against Boston College, dedicated their newest edition to the fleet.

Surrounded by Michael McDonald, Head Coach of Men’s Rowing, Team Captain Ryan Mouradian, Resolute executive committee member Bernie Taradash, and the Men’s Rowing crew the new Resolute mid-weight 8+ “Hope” was christened.

Mr. McDonald said: "On behalf of the URI Men's Rowing Program I would like to extend my appreciation to those in our student senate, as well as a special thank you to Bernie Taradash for helping make this happen. The men's program at URI has a long history of winning and the latest addition to our fleet of Resolutes speaks not only to the current team’s success, but to the future University of Rhode Island rowers as well. I would also like to show my appreciation to Jeff Sturges, Sue Hinckley, and everyone at Resolute Racing for going above and beyond to finish, and deliver the new boat on time, despite the outrageous road conditions due to flooding."


Mike McDonald, Bernie Taradash, and Ryan Mouradian

On March 27, 2010, Resolute Racing Shells joined the University of Rhode Island Women’s rowing team and dignitaries for the dedication of their new Resolute 4+ “Teresa Paiva-Weed”.

It was a sunny but cold day at the URI Campanella Boathouse on the Narrows River in Kingston, Rhode Island as the Rams won each of their three varsity races and reclaimed the Yankee Cup. After the racing they dedicated their new and currently undefeated Resolute 4+ “Teresa Paiva-Weed”. 

 Ms. Paiva-Weed, the first women in Rhode Island history to serve as President of the Senate, was surrounded by URI President David M. Dooley, Athletic Director Thorr Bjorn, Resolute executive committee member Bernie Taradash, and Head Coach of Women’s Rowing Shelagh Donohoe as she poured the finest champagne, befitting her namesake, over the bow.


Shelagh Donohoe, Teresa Paiva-Weed, David M. Dooley, Bernie Taradash

Ms. Donohoe said: "The Yankee Cup is the first step in the process of achieving our 2010 goals.  I believe that our intensity and attention to detail during winter training helped us bring the Yankee Cup back to RI.  In addition to racing, we were very excited to christen the "Teresa Paiva Weed", the newest Resolute 4+ in our fleet.  Teresa is the first women to serve as the Senate President in the State of Rhode Island and it is a true honor to have her name on a wonderful boat!  I am excited to see how the rest of 2010 season unfolds." 

Shelagh Donohoe, Bernie Taradash, Teresa Paiva-Weed, and the URI Women's Rowing team with the Yankee Cup

Rick Laviolette, Resolute President and CEO said, “The University of Rhode Island is fast tracking its crew program and is now becoming a force to be reckoned with. The University has signaled its commitment to success and winning by providing their athletes and coaches with the very best equipment at the best possible value, a true win- win scenario.”  Laviolette added; “University President, Mr. David M. Dooley, Athletic Director, Thorr Bjorn and head coaches Shelagh Donohoe and Micheal McDonald have set a very high standard for its student athletes and as a result greatness will emerge. With regards to Rhode Island Senator Teresa Paiva Weed, her reputation for hard work and a commitment to excellence is well recognized. We at Resolute could not be more pleased to have her name enshrined on one of our products and it is equally befitting that this vessel is manufactured right here in the State of Rhode Island”.

Bernie Taradash and Teresa Paiva-Weed with her namesake


Rick Laviolette, Teresa Paiva-Weed, and Bernie Taradash


Rick Laviolette and David M. Dooley