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We got to the starting line on time. We had just the right amount of time to finish our regular race warm up including the starts, and they felt good. They called us to the starting positions a little early – just as we had finished the warm up, so we were still warm enough by the time we got to the line. We've had better starts than the one on that race, but our high 15 had a lot of power to it and it really got the boat moving. At around the 150m mark we steered into a buoy on our port side causing some port side oars to collide with it and slow us down. We suddenly slowed so much, I thought for sure we had caught a full crab and that was it- but it was only a small one and we were able to push through it. When we hit our settle, we lost some power through the boat. We overemphasized the rate slow, without lengthening if the boat had lengthened and focused its power, we could have stayed with the pack throughout. We fell about a boat length and stayed here until the 1000m mark of the race. For the second 500, we stayed at around a 33 - which is a little high- but given our position in the race we did not want to drop the rate any more. Austin called a couple power tens but they did not do much in terms of position change. At around the 750 point we did take a rating jump and this was the beginning of our amazing sprint. When he called the focus ten for length, we really picked the boat up, and it felt a lot smoother. Our last 500 is where the race all came together, we had a steady rate increase to about a 37. Our bow was even with Essex's stern. Austin called out: “only a few seats from medaling!” This really clicked in everyone’s head and the pressure jumped to a level I have never felt in that boat. From that point forward, we absolutely poured it on. Everyone knew how much they wanted it and just what it would take to get there. The last five strokes felt like the fastest that boat has ever gone we pulled it out together as a team, for one of the best finishes of the season.

Sam Ginuevos'12, in his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin, made the varsity eight! Click here for a photo of Sam racing on the Charles River last Sunday in the BU, MIT and Wisconsin race.

BABR alum Patrick Ware’12 had an outstanding freshman year at Hobart Williams Smith College. Not only did he excel on the water but also in the classroom.  Pat was named “Rookie of the Year” by the rowing team and he was inducted in to the Hoba

Vacation week is our last chance to make up any lost practice time, and put into place our new strategies to gain momentum into the racing season. After the first few days of taking in the excitement of finally being on the water (and off the dreadful erg) we are now directing our training towards racing. Coxswains stress to memorize complicated and grueling race plans, while rowers adjust to seat racing and new lineups. Our coaches put an increased emphasis on technique. Just because another crew is faster on the erg does not mean they will be faster on the course. A boat with better technique and smoother rowing will always prevail over a boat that is focused purely on power. Just because the other crew has a better start, does not mean they will be able to keep up their finesse and coordination throughout the race. Watch out because we’ll be speeding past all the other teams on the course!