|
Navy Finishes Fall Campaign Strong Alumni gather in Boston to race at the Head of the Charles
After four fall-season races, Navy's lightweights go into winter training with some momentum on their side. The Mids started off winning the Occoquan Challenge and the Navy Day Regatta on their way to placing second at the Head of the Charles and the Princeton Chase. The depth of the team was very apparent and will help the competitive atmosphere within the program during the winter months.
In Boston, Navy was starting second from their great finish from last year. The New York Athletic Club was the only crew starting ahead of them while Riverside was starting behind the Midshipmen. Both of the club crews had current and former National Team oarsmen in their boats which would make for some exciting racing in the lead pack. Navy was able to hold off Riverside for most of the race until they were caught going into the big starboard turn before Cambridge boathouse. Luckily, Navy was able to get the inside and both crews raced side-by-side with their blades practically overlapping throughout the entire turn. Eventually Riverside passed Navy coming around the last turn before the finish line.
Riverside wound up winning the event, NYAC finished second, while Yale nudged out Navy for third place by 1.5 seconds. In the lightweight four race, Navy got off to a blistering start in third place at the first time marker, but could not hold that pace. They eventually finished fifth to Ottawa Rowing Club, Undine Rowing Club, Yale and Princeton.
Navy had two lightweight alumni boats racing at the Charles this year, both in the Club eight event on Saturday. The younger of the two boats were racing as Blair Academy, whose entry was generously donated by former Navy coach Dale Hurley '89. The older of the alumni boats were rowing as Navy Masters Rowing Club. Both crews jumped in their line-ups for the first time up in Boston and raced their way down the course, the younger legs prevailing in the inter-squad scrimmage. The two boats finished 14th and 41st out of the field of 52. The alumni had a great time and are pictured below with the current Navy lightweight team who made the Boston trip. Among the alumni who raced were:
On Lake Carnegie, one week later, Navy's varsity finished second again but this time to the Quakers of Pennsylvania. Coming off a great third-place finish at the National Championships last year, Penn returned the core group of their eight and seem to be a team to contend with come Spring time. Navy's second varsity boat also faired very well, finishing eighth in the same race besting quite a few varsity crews from around the league. Our third and fourth boats, who seemed to be very close in speed during practice, managed to beat all other third varsity boats except for Yale.
Overall, Navy's depth will prove to be their strength during the winter months and will hopefully lead to more speed come March.
Head of the Charles Lightweight Eight Results (Top 15 Places)
Princeton Chase Lightweight Eight Results
|
