BRC's story begins in 2021, when rival coaches RJ Rubino and Ryan Ficorilli, united the top rowers of their respective programs, Canisius High School and St. Joe’s Collegiate. The pair of Peter Spira and Lars Finlayson went onto win the US Summer National Championship, on New Jersey’s Cooper River, in a photo finish over USRowing.

 

The success continued in 2022, highlighted by rowers, Nathanial Sass and Collin Hay, and their coach, RJ Rubino, winning the U23 World Championship, in Varese, Italy, for the US National Team. While Rubino, Sass and Hay were competing in Italy, Coach Ficorilli lead Buffalo's first "Henley Camp" to win the Sr. Lightweight 8+ at the Royal Canadian Henley.

 

Rubino rebranded the team from BSRA to RowBuffalo in 2023, and the team achieved unprecedented success, winning nearly every men's eight and pair event between the 2023 and 2024 Royal Canadian Henley’s. The team made history at the 2024 USRowing Summer Nationals, winning the Youth 8+ by the largest margin of victory on record, nearly 13 seconds ahead of 2nd place PennAC.

 

At the conclusion of the 2024 season, Rubino incorporated Buffalo Rowing Club to position these rowers, their families and the Buffalo - Niagara Region, for enduring championship success.