Mason Crew Club Hosts Successful Spring Regatta

Posted: April 8, 2015 at 3:00 pm, Last Updated: April 9, 2015 at 12:14 pm

breaking up ice

Crew members Priit Grabbi and Will Meeker with Coach Bob Spousta breaking ice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although Sandy Run Regional Park’s water  was iced over until just a few weeks ago, and no races were held due to icing and strong winds, Mason’s Crew Club was still able to host a successful regatta and claim four Club medals!   Occoquan Sprints hosted 120 entries from 19 schools along the east coast, making it one of the largest annual athletic events hosted by Mason.  Teams from as far away as New York and South Carolina attended.

Preparation for the regatta was extensive.  Since no other teams held their usual races prior the Sprints, current rowers and alums spent 8 hours Friday, 12 hours Saturday and 4 hours Sunday moving everything into place.  Coach Spousta says they spent at least 100 man hours getting everything set up.

Coxswain Kassidy Kenney, a junior majoring in Systems Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, supervised the set up of start platforms all three days.  She explains, “The platforms have to be put into place and anchored so that the race boats are straight to start the race.  That means everything we do has to be secure and precise.”

The 29 rower’s and coxswain’s hard work paid off with a successful regatta.  After “heats”, composed of up to six boats, determined what teams would compete in the finals, Mason Crew Club medaled in four out of four finals.

Coming in first place for Mason were men’s V8+, men’s V4+ and men’s Novice 4+.  Men’s lightweight V4+ and men’s JV8+ came in second place.  Men’s Novice 8+ received a third place.

Kassidy commented, “In addition to the prep work we did, the parents were involved with selling t shirts, timing races, videotaping and photographing teams, and cheering for their rowers.  It was one big team effort.”  She adds, “Not only did we do well as a team, the event went well overall.”  She adds,   “Hosting a successful event is important so that teams will continue to want to come.  We’re really happy it ran as well as it did.”

Men's V4+

Men’s Varsity 4+ Sam Gallerano, Billy Colbert, Kassidy Kenney, Will Meeker, Lucas Wilks and Bob Spousta

 

by Jennifer Lehman, MS RYT

team photo courtesy of Priit Grabbi