UC men's rowing struggles to open season
Chris Crawford
Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: Sports
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In all events, the team lost to Virginia and Georgetown University while defeating the University of North Carolina.
"This wasn't an easy race," said Brent Figg, third-year head coach. "It's never easy when you face top-20 caliber teams."
Lead by seniors Jared Kentner and captain Chad Reid, the Bearcats four-man boat finished fifth with a time of 15:32. Two seasons ago, the Bearcats won the event.
"I just think there is a lack of focus right now," Kentner said. "We need to close the gap on the teams we lost to this past weekend."
The team is looking to return to a stride they had only two years ago. In spring 2006, the team qualified for and competed in the National Championship in Camden, N.J., finishing 11th in the country in their event. In 2007, they did not return.
"I definitely want us to get there again," Kentner said. "Racing alongside schools like Harvard and Yale is one of the greatest accomplishments in this sport."
The rowing team has two seasons, fall and spring. The fall season is more distance oriented, with races between four and a half to six kilometers, while the spring season is the standard two kilometer sprint-race.
"I think this has been one of the most positive experiences in my life," Kentner said. "It's the most challenging and rewarding sports I've ever participated in. Plus, competing nationally is not something every college student gets to do."
In addition to competing nationally, the team has also represented the school internationally. This past summer, UC rowers competed in the Henley Royal Regatta in England for the second-straight year. The five-day event annually draws in more than 10,000 spectators and competitors from all over the world. According to rowing team members, the event is visited by British royalty and was the staging ground for one of comedian Sasha Baron Cohen's skits for his character Borat.
But this year also marks a change for the rowing team. Last year, the men's and women's rowing teams were separate programs, but this year they have been consolidated in the wake of the women's team being cut from the athletic department.
"It's good to have [the women's team] back with us," Figg said. "It's going to be fun trying to rebuild their program."
This weekend was the last race of the fall season for the women's team, which enjoyed a successful season in previous races in Columbus, Ohio, and Chattanooga, Tenn.
This is the first time the women's team has competed without athletic department funding since last decade.
Both the women's and men's teams are scheduled to travel to Miami, Fl., in December for winter training, and both teams are likely to compete in the same races come spring.
Some of the scheduled races are to be held in Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Michigan and Oak Ridge, Tenn., among others.
The next scheduled race for the Bearcats is this weekend at the University of Dayton, which concludes the fall season for the men's team.
Like all club sports, participation is open to students and there is no prior experience required to join rowing. Both the men and women are actively seeking new athletes, according
to Figg.
For more information regarding joining the team, visit their Web site
www.cincyrowing.org
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Steven
posted 11/16/07 @ 10:10 AM EST
Just for clarification, the University of North Carolina did not attend the Rivanna Romp. Because UVA did not wish to race Novices, UNC took their entire team to the Head of the South instead as to race the Novices. (Continued…)
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