The men’s and women’s crew teams have been hard at work gearing up for the fall season, which begins this coming Sunday, Oct. 5 at the Textile River Regatta in Lowell, Mass. The Textile River Regatta is just the first of the three total regattas crew will compete in this fall. The short season is jam-packed into the month of October with the Head of the Charles Regatta scheduled in Boston, Mass. for the weekend of Oct. 18 and the Head of the Fish in Saratoga, N.Y. on Oct. 25.
Both teams had great seasons last spring. The men’s team ended last season with an eighth place finish out of 20 boats for the first varsity eight (1V), and an eighth-place finish out of 18 for the second varsity eight (2V) at the ECAC Collegiate Championship. The women’s team made it to the NCAA Division III Championships in Indianapolis, Ind., where the 1V boat placed fifth and the 2V boat placed third.
“This experience really showed us all what we work for every day and what it will take to get to Sacramento for NCAAs this year,” said Ava Miller-Lewis ’17.
Despite the loss of last year’s seniors and the fact that a number of students are currently studying abroad on the women’s team and are injured on the men’s team, both squads feel ready for the upcoming racing season.
“We have a very strong team this year, and though it is on average a younger team, everyone has really been stepping up and taking initiative,” Miller-Lewis said.
The men have similar expectations after missing out on Nationals last spring.
“Everyone worked really hard over the summer, so the fitness aspect is definitely there,” said Jonah Wolfson ’17. “Now that we’re back on the water, boats are starting to work well together, and we’re definitely going faster.”
Both teams will be put to the test at the first regatta of the season. The 1V for the men’s and the women’s teams alike claimed the title at the Textile River Regatta last year, and a number of the other boats entered in the race finished with impressive times as well. The race itself is a bit longer than the average five kilometer fall regatta race, with a course of approximately 6,000 meters, which helps warm the teams back up into the racing mentality. Placing well at this event will allow the teams to gain more confidence going into the rest of the season.
The highlight of the fall, however, is the Head of the Charles. Men’s Captain Ethan Currie ’15 believes this will be an important test to gauge where the team needs to improve for the spring season.
“The race where we truly get to test our speed against our spring competitors is the Head of the Charles in Boston during Fall Break,” Currie said. “The Charles is the largest regatta in the world, and it also draws the most spectators, which is unique in rowing.”
Miller-Lewis agreed with Currie’s sentiment and is excited for the chance to compete in Boston.
“The energy at this race is very special, for there are spectators along the entire five-kilometer course,” she added.
The last race of the fall season will be the Head of the Fish. While the race is not as competitive for the Cards as the Head of the Charles, it is unique in that the whole team attends the regatta, including the novice squad. This is the first chance for the novices to get out on the water in a race setting, and both teams have found in the past that this event really pulls the team together.
While success at these three races is important to both the men’s and women’s teams, their fall season goals are focused on getting ready for the spring.
“Fall racing is important only insofar as it prepares us for success in the spring against our conference rivals,” Currie explained.
Wolfson concurred with his captain that the season is key for preparation.
“The fall season is all about cleaning up the rowing and getting the boats moving nicely,” Wolfson said. “Obviously we want to go to races and do well, but it’s also about sussing out the team, working a lot on technique, and building some fitness before a long winter in the gym.”
The results of these upcoming regattas will be key for the teams to determine what their next steps will be as they approach their main spring season.