Crew Teams Perform Strongly in Openers

Author: Ryan Reese

On the banks of the Merrimac River in Lowell, Mass., on Sunday, spectators bore witness to a promising season opening regatta for the men and women of Middlebury crew. The Head of the Textile was the site of successful pulls for both the men and women, with each squad capturing one gold medal.

The men competed in doubles and club eights and brought home strong finishes in each. The men's doubles boat captured one of two gold medals on the day for the Panthers. Propelling themselves to a commanding lead proved to be a solid strategy as the competition was left in the wake of Panther dominance. The men's club eight turned in a solid performance, ending up in 14th place. The team was pleased with its efforts in the face of stiff competition. "We had a good pull but there is a lot of room to improve. We hope to continue our started success," said senior captain Steven Gangemi.

The women had an inspiring day on the water, bringing home first, third and fourth place finishes in their respective competitions. The women's lightweight boat, although the only competitor in the race, gained valuable experience, and was even given a gold medal. The women's doubles boat brought home the bronze. The pull was strong and the women gained valuable confidence by bringing home the hardware. In the women's fours, the Panthers put in one of the most impressive rows of the day. In a staggered start situation and a race against the clock, the women's four passed several competing boats. This fourth place performance will serve as a rallying point as this squad will be the representatives for Middlebury in the upcoming Head of the Charles on October 18 and 19 in Boston. Captain Taylor Bolz '04 and crewmember Corinne Balint '04 were both excited with Sunday's results and voiced optimism when asked about the rest of the season. They are looking to improve at every regatta and finish the season with a flourish.

This coming weekend promises to be exciting as both the men and women head to Pembroke, N.H., to compete in the New Hampshire Championships. With their eyes focused on dominating the Polar Bears of Bowdoin and giving the rest of the NESCAC a run for their money, Middlebury crew looks to continue its already successful fall campaign.