4/17/2004
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Hoyas continued their sprint racing against Navy, currently ranked #1 in the USRowing Varsity Lightweights Poll, on April 17. The weather was on the warm side for the first time all week, but a combination of wind and pleasure boats (it being the first day of striped bass season, incidentally) led to less than ideal conditions in the second thousand of the course.
Due to the Severn River?s tendency to degrade sharply into waves and cross currents as the day wears on, the first race of the day was the varsity event. The slow start that plagued Georgetown at Princeton earlier this spring came back for seconds, leaving the Hoyas down nearly a length as they passed the 500m in mark. Nevertheless, they maintained a strong and aggressive rhythm, hoping to be able to come back into Navy on their moves. Unfortunately, the water became progressively less and less conducive to clean rowing and effective attacks as the race continued, aversely affecting both Georgetown and Navy. Navy, however, was able to handle the wakes slightly better than Georgetown, which was visible in the way that they slowly eked out their lead. Ultimately, the Hoyas crossed the line nearly five and a half seconds in arrears.
?It?s frustrating; to row the way we did today, but you do have to give credit to Navy; they rowed a great race and were very calm in the messy conditions.? said captain Andrew Lechleiter (C ?04). The line-up, from bow to stern, of the Varsity was Jack Pfeiffer (C '06), Geoff Mikelsons (B '04), Blair Berbert (B '05), Kyler Willet (C '06), Brad Kuntsher (C '05), Lechleiter (C '04), James O'Gara (B '05), Cameron Booth (C '05), and coxswain Lousia Seferis (F '05).
The Second Varsity race mirrored the Varsity race somewhat, as Georgetown found themselves in a hole early on. Disappointingly, they were never able to relax enough to establish a strong rhythm and floundered in the middle of the race before regrouping and finishing with a strong sprint. From bow to stern, the line-up of the 2V was Dave Hansen (B '06), Chris Fawal (C '06), Jan Halaska (C '06), Will Sheridan (C '04), Tony Leotti (C '04), Leeds Nudd (C '06), Kyle Hatton (C '05), John Fenwick (B '05), and coxswain Nick Marinakis (F '06).
The Freshman and Second Freshman boats raced in the last two events of the day. Both crews finished behind Navy?s respective crews, but felt a marked improvement upon their earlier loss to Princeton. The line-up, from bow to stern, of the 1F was Andrew Harried (C '07), Ralph Crowley (B '07), Connor Schillerstrom (F '07), Patrick Sheridan (C '07), John McGroarty (C '07), Michael Dorff (C '07), Michael McGrath (F '07), James Curley (B '07), and coxswain Christopher Moore (B '07) and of the 2F was Pierre Maitre (B '07), Paul Elliot (C '07), Nate Ro (B '07), Jonathon Olbrych (N '07), Dominik Peisl (B '07), Matt Kamenski (C '07), Tom Byrnes (B '07), Brendan Sullivan (C '07), Michael Manuccia (C '07).
Georgetown returns to racing next weekend with a doubleheader. Saturday, they will rematch against Princeton, alongside the University of Pennsylvania, while Sunday will see them racing Harvard, Boston College, and the University of Delaware, a underdog Grand Finalist at the IRA National Championship last year. This will likely be the last race weekend for Georgetown before the Eastern Sprints on May 16th, so all the crews will be looking for an excellent result to bookend their regular season.
For more information please see: http://www.georgetowncrew.org/
