This past weekend the team traveled with five eights back up to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for our second regatta of the year. Weather conditions and construction were nearly identical to our last trip up, both rough, although it did appear that several large piles of dirt had moved locations. Nevertheless, the Hoos had a good day of racing at the 52nd Annual Kerr Cup Regatta hosted by Drexel University. [Editor’s note: the regatta is of no relation to VRA’s first coach, the esteemed Tim Kerr]
Novice Eights (3rd & 6th of 10)
Top 3 out of 2 heats of Novice Eights made the final; both VRA novice eights qualified. The B boat placed third in their heat with a time of 7:14.49 behind Temple and LaSalle and ahead of Army and NYU. The A boat placed second in their heat with a time of 6:43.46 behind Drexel and ahead of Bucknell, Fordham, and Manhattan College.
Virginia was the only school with two eights in the 6 boat final. Temple took first followed by Drexel, with UVA A in third with a time of 6:56.06, Bucknell and LaSalle snuck in ahead of UVA B who finished with a time of 7:28.81.
Third Varsity Eight (5th of 7)
Two heats of 3Vs ran, with the slowest time being eliminated from the field for the final. Our 3V narrowly placed fourth, less than 3/10s of a second off of Boston College with a time 6:50.68. Delaware Heavies and St. Joe’s took first and second. Luckily for the crew, the slowest time was posted in the other heat and they snuck into the final. They finished 5th in 6:48.11 ahead of Delaware, but behind the rest of the field.
JV Eight (8th of 12)
The JV 8 fought a valiant battle in one of 3 heats, with top two to grand finals, but were squeezed out by Temple and UC San Diego in the end with a time of 6:40.8. They took 3rd place in the petite final after a tough fight with a time of 6:44.27. Boston College and Army finished just before them and Trinity, Marist and Lehigh rounded out the back.
Varsity Eight (4th of 17)
The V8 raced an exhausting 3 times throughout the day. They started in one of 4 heats, coasting to qualify behind Temple with a time of 6:31.31 over Boston College, San Diego, and St. Mary’s (who scratched).
In their semi, the V8 had laid down a very controlled piece as a dog fight ensued behind them for the last qualifying spots in the final. Ultimately they finished first with a time of 6:20.7 followed by Drexel and Marist with Colgate, UC San Diego, and Marietta making it into the petite final.
In the last race of the day, the V8 was bothered by stake boat trouble; the rope anchoring it snapped, thus their coxswain was holding them to it as they took off the line. They finished fourth with a time of 6:24.77 behind the higher stroking St. Joe’s, Delaware Lights, and Temple and ahead of both Marist and Drexel.
Next weekend the team will be racing at SIRAs in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; unlike the first Virginia boat, we don’t even have to steal Magruder Dent’s truck to get the boats there!