From the Archives: Rowers Dominate Regatta

The conditions for Saturday's regatta against Wesleyan and Connecticut College were not the best. A strong current and south wind created choppy conditions that played an important factor in the day's racing. Nevertheless, Trinity boats were able to stroke over the chop and through the debris for five wins in seven tries.Building on last weekend's victories were the Varsity Lightweights and Heavyweights. The lights whipped Conn College and Wesleyan for their third win in four starts. The first 20 strokes were key, as the Bantams jumped to a two length lead. Conn College twice managed to narrow the margin by a quarter of a length, but Trinity pulled away for a 7.65 second victory.

The lightweights are living up to expectations, and Coach Jeff Cooley feels, "in the last two weeks they've proven they're at the top of the heep. With another couple of good weeks, they should be ready."

What every boat wants to be ready for is the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia. Held on May 13-14, the Vail is the national championship for small college rowing.

The Varsity Heavyweights seemed to be a long shot for the Vail medal three weeks ago, but the crew has pulled together and Saturday's 14.1 second victory over 1982 bronze medalist Conn College is a very positive sign. The win was simple from start to finish, with the Bants opening water at the 800 meter mark and never looking back.

The Freshman Lightweights' second victory of the season was simple for 1800 meters. The last 200 were another story. Webster defines a crab as "a faulty stroke in rowing, so that the oar strikes the water forcibly on the backstroke." It is one of the most disrupting and awkward errors in sport and the frosh lights "caught" one, meters from the finish line.

"There were lousy conditions and with a tail wind, it's easy to catch a crab," explained freshman Charlie Wilmerding. "We were just getting tired."

Fortunatley for the Bantams, Conn College was too far back to take advantage of the mistake. The crab only served to cut what would have been a substantial victory down to 5.3 seconds.

Not as fortunate with their crab were the Varsity Women. Only five strokes into the race, the women were victimized by the conditions and the resulting crab may have very well accounted for the 3.5 second defeat.

Coach Mary Steele Ferguson and her crew focused post race attention to the second 500 meters of the race.

"We have to figure out a way to move in that area. We've proved in every race we've been in that we can move after 1000 meters. Now we have to move earlier," noted Ferguson.

Conn College's Varsity Women do appear to be the boat to beat in Philly. The Camels will race in the Vail for the first time, having previously rowed in the more competitive Eastern Sprints.

Tying the previously unbeaten Varsity Women with a boathouse leading four victories were the Novice Women. Wesleyan got a quick jump of the five seats before Trinity fought back to take a two seat lead at the 500. The Cardinals continued to fade, barely edging Conn College for second, as the novices went on to win by 15 seconds.

The fifth Trin victory was a sweet one. The Women's Four earned their initial win of the season by holding off a charging Wesleyan boat over the final 100 meters.

Wesleyan's glory boat for 1983, the Freshman Heavyweights, lived up to their pre-race publicity by rowing the fastest time of the day and ripping Trinity by 16.5 seconds.

However, for the second consecutive week, Trinity rowers put forth an impressive effort. The task ahead is to focus on the last week of the regular season. The Vail looms on the horizon.