Crusader Rowing: May 2015

Sunday, May 10, 2015

VASRA State Championships

We competed in the VASRA state Championship regatta on May 9th. Our top women's 4 and a women's junior four (four of our novices) competed. Neither crew advanced out of their heats, a fate shared by 13 other crews in these events.

Results for the W-4-1 event are below. First the four heats:

After the heats the top twelve crews raced in two semi-finals with the top three from each semi racing in a final for the state title (and the bottom six being assigned to the petite finals.) Those results are below.

I see that only one of the EVSRA crews that competed (Gloucester Maury, First Colonial and Catholic) made it out of the heats to the finals in this tough event. We were hampered by illness (both Anna and Rachel) but I note they decreased the delta t versus Maury's time that both crews posted at the EVSRA champs. Well done, girls.

For the WJr 4 event we entered a crew of 4 novices. Typically this event is competed by the best crews in each school that are not seniors (most having girls that have rowed for three years.) Our novices learned a lot. Seeing what's required at the next level allows one to set higher goals.

The top six boats raced in the finals of this event. Those results are below.

For comparison, I found the results of the Ted Phoenix regatta also rowed at Occoquan a week earlier, that same day we rowed at Mathews. This regatta is restricted to novices only and the winning crews are declared state champs in their events. The results for the WN4 are below.

And while it's dangerous to compare times on different days due to different conditions, both regattas were run over the same distance on the same course. The time our novice girls posted at States would have placed then ahead of Fairfax, Granby and West Potomac at the Ted Phoenix and just shy of a medal at the state level. I am proud of this crew that has mainly rowed as the stern four of our WN8 and actually practiced as a four less than a dozen times.

At States I awarded Mrs. King the "Jay O'Brien Pull Hard! Award" for her sustained support and dedication over four years. Thank-you Stephanie for all your efforts. We'll miss both you and Anna.

I also thank Granby for transporting our hulls to and from Occoquan and on their M-1-4X crew that won their event and return with the state championship trophy.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Wildcat, then and now

Below are pics of Wildcat taken in 2012 when I first started the repair. After two and a half years she was finally rowed at Mathews. It was in September of 2012 that Coach O'Brien and I picked up the pieces of this Kaschper "International" model in Philadelphia. Before it was severely damaged in a fall off their boathouse lift system, the boat was the top men's eight at Villanova University. We brought back the three pieces, (yes, "pieces" as both the bow and the stern broke off in the fall) and I started the structural repair. Because the damage was so severe, including a cracked keel, bent rudder, snapped off fin and a major break at seat two, the insurance wrote off the boat as a total loss. The overhaul included a complete re-paint to match our existing fleet color scheme.

The hull construction is seen here: two skins with a Nomex honeycomb core.

The broken stern. The fin snapped off completely.

This was the back of the boat.

The name "Wildcat" is in honor of the Villanova crew, where coach O'Brien went to school, and where Mairin, his daughter coxed for four seasons.

Bow glued on before the carbon scarf joint is constructed. I'm pretty sure the alignment is fine.

New carbon at seat two

A vacuum pump pulled down the carbon skin.

The Nomex honeycomb deck core is visible before the top skin is put on.

I'm pleased as punch that Wildcat has joined our fleet. I hope next season to have a large enough team to regularly field three eights: J.A.B., Badger, and now, Wildcat.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Independent Schools Regatta

We competed in the Independent Schools Regatta on May 3 on Lake Whitehurst at Botanical Garden. Highlights include the Men's Novice Four winning the Botanical Bailer and our seven seniors: Becky, Anna, Nathan, Liz, Helen, Rachel and Emilio, rowing in their last EVSRA regatta.

Results will be posted as I get them. Please send me any pictures you may have.

Big Mathews Regatta

We competed at Mathews on Saturday May 2nd. This regatta is referred to as "Big Mathews" since so many schools attend. We raced against some schools from Northern Virginia for the first time. The weather was beautiful and we had some fun races. Wildcat was raced for the first time since 2011.