The Wesleyan men’s crew team continued its successful spring season of dual races on Saturday, as the first varsity eight-man boat rowed to victories over New Hampshire and Bates. However, the women’s team continues to struggle in 2000-meter sprints, as losses to Bates and host Tufts leave the top women’s varsity boat winless on the spring season.
The men’s first varsity boat extended its consistent streak of dominance this spring. Whereas teams often race different groups in their first boat to find the best combination, the octet of Sam Hoefle ’13, Spencer Hattendorf ’12, captain Elliott Skopin ’11, Terrence Word ’11, Bryce Hollingsworth ’13, Nick Bender ’14, Peter Martin ’14, and Trevor Michelson ’13 has remained constant from spring training in Florida to last weekend’s wins. With coxswain Peter Chu ’14 at the helm, the first boat edged out New Hampshire in a nail-biter, 5:52.4 to 5:54.2, and held a comfortable 10-second advantage over Bates. The men’s varsity four-man boat did not share in the successes of the eight-man boat, however, with its time of 6:54.2 falling short of New Hampshire by seven seconds. While the second eight-man boat lost to Bates by a narrow two-second margin, the third boat split its races, losing to New Hampshire but blowing Tufts out of the water by 14 seconds.
The women’s squad continues to be mired in a spring slump, as its first varsity boat has yet to win a 2000-meter sprint. Bates’ top varsity boat handily dispatched the Cardinal rowers, with Wesleyan’s 6:55.8 finish a distant 15 seconds behind. While the first boat was more competitive against Tufts, the Wesleyan women still succumbed to defeat, losing 6:59.1 to 7:04.0. A bright spot came from the second and third varsity boats. Despite both losing to Bates in their dual races, both managed to pull out victories over the hosts, with the second boat topping Tufts by three seconds and the third boat beating the Jumbos by a convincing 19 seconds.
The men’s and women’s crew teams will be back on the water next Saturday at Worcester, Mass., their second race of the year on Lake Quinsigamond.