APRIL 23 HOME REGATTA vs. NOBLES
1st Boat Race
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Kelly McCarthy; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Alexsa Jack; and bow Abi Trivella-- rowed in a strong headwind, with waves slightly lesser than those in other races. Throughout, this crew displayed good ratio and consistency, and rowed well despite having practiced together only once before.
2nd Boat Race
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Julie Sullivan; 3-seat Abby Conway; and bow Dolores Ma-- rowed in a stronger headwind than the 1st boat, battling whitecaps and a strong Nobles crew. This crew held Nobles in the first 500m of the race, coming of the starting line quickly and cleanly.
3rd Boat Race
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim; Stroke Kailey Castle; 2-seat Alice Le; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Linzee Tracey-- competed against two Nobles boats, their 3rd and 4th, as our 4th boat is currently in repair. This wider field meant that Pomfret set its sights on the 4th boat of Nobles, and held it even with them just past the first 500m of the race.
5th Boat Race
The Pomfret 5th Boat-- with all all-novice crew consisting of coxswain Izzy Park; Stroke Lisa Gorbalskaya; 2-seat Alessandra Zwack; 3-seat Amalia Baron, and bow Maria Tews-- rowed in the toughest weather conditions of the day, with a strong headwind and whitecaps.
1st Boat Race
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Kelly McCarthy; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Alexsa Jack; and bow Abi Trivella-- rowed in a strong headwind, with waves slightly lesser than those in other races. Throughout, this crew displayed good ratio and consistency, and rowed well despite having practiced together only once before.
2nd Boat Race
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Julie Sullivan; 3-seat Abby Conway; and bow Dolores Ma-- rowed in a stronger headwind than the 1st boat, battling whitecaps and a strong Nobles crew. This crew held Nobles in the first 500m of the race, coming of the starting line quickly and cleanly.
3rd Boat Race
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim; Stroke Kailey Castle; 2-seat Alice Le; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Linzee Tracey-- competed against two Nobles boats, their 3rd and 4th, as our 4th boat is currently in repair. This wider field meant that Pomfret set its sights on the 4th boat of Nobles, and held it even with them just past the first 500m of the race.
5th Boat Race
The Pomfret 5th Boat-- with all all-novice crew consisting of coxswain Izzy Park; Stroke Lisa Gorbalskaya; 2-seat Alessandra Zwack; 3-seat Amalia Baron, and bow Maria Tews-- rowed in the toughest weather conditions of the day, with a strong headwind and whitecaps.
APRIL 27 HOME REGATTA vs. LINCOLN, BERKSHIRE, MARIONAPOLIS
On April 27th, 2016 (Wednesday), the girls crew team hosted the Lincoln School of Providence, RI; the Marianapolis School of Thompson, CT; and the Berkshire School of Sheffield, MA at the Blodgett Boathouse. The course, 1500 meters long, had a slight tailwind between 8-10 mph, with some occasional crosswinds. The temperature, meanwhile, was in the 60s!
Overall, Pomfret performed well, placing 2nd out of 3 or 4 in the majority of the races. Lincoln brought a deep program, fielding a 4th boat on the water, which added to their winning 3 of 4 races; whereas Berkshire brought only 3 boats, but still performed well, winning the 2nd boat race. Marianapolis, a very new team, had only 2 boats, which both represented their school well. We at Pomfret were glad to host another (rare) eastern CT crew at Quasset Lake, and look forward to racing them in the future as their program grows! Across the board, Pomfret got to experience a more evenly matched assemblage of crews, which will help with racing in the future.
1st Boat Race
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Charlotte Apuzzo ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Abi Trivella-- rowed a great race, coming in 2nd place behind a fast Lincoln crew, and beating out Berkshire, another typically fast crew. They had a clean start, with no blades hitting the water, and rowed together gracefully with good boat balance.
2nd Boat Race
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Alexsa Jack; 3-seat Abby Conway; and bow Dolores Ma-- had a more difficult time with their race. The boat rowed inefficiently, with a fast race pace and a strong group of girls not reaching their full potential and making for a wheels-spinning-in-the-mud phenomenon. Though their racing was trying-- especially due to illness, mental battling, and wind impacting this boat-- the Pomfret 2nd boat completed their race , and will look forward to switching things up for future racing.
3rd Boat Race
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim; Stroke Kailey Castle; 2-seat Julie Sullivan; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Linzee Tracey-- had a great race with a 2nd place finish behind Lincoln. This boat, accustomed to rowing with Pomfret's 5th boat during practice, got to see its true skill as a 3rd boat when compared to the 3rd boats of other teams. With 10 seconds behind Lincoln, 6 ahead of Berkshire, and 30 seconds ahead of Marianapolis, this crew now knows it has a lot of power, to be increasingly realized as technique is mastered!
4th Boat Race/5th Boat Race
This race combined Pomfret's 4th and 5th boat with Lincoln's 5th.
The Pomfret 4th Boat-- consisting of coxswain Polina Lipskaya; Stroke Lena Geier; 2-seat Kylie Blake; 3-seat Jessica Hua; and bow Alice Le-- had a challenging race, mainly due to the fact that this boat had about 2 days of water time before being suddenly thrown into a fast race. Because these girls are still learning the ropes when it comes to being on the water, they were considerably slower than the 5th boat, having to stop several times as their blades were trapped in the water. With time, however, this 4th boat will gain considerable speed, and has a lot of potential to be realized!
The Pomfret 5th Boat-- with an all-novice crew consisting of coxswain Izzy Park; Stroke Lisa Gorbalskaya; 2-seat Alexandra Zwack; 3-seat Amalia Baron, and bow Maria Tews-- rowed their 2nd race of the season with considerable improvement from their 1st race ever. When it comes to technique, they still have a lot to learn, as there was a great deal of water missed with each stroke, meaning that the boat was slowed and off-centered. However, as technique advances and they get more time on the water, this boat will continue to improve, and will learn to work together, just as the 4th boat will.
On April 27th, 2016 (Wednesday), the girls crew team hosted the Lincoln School of Providence, RI; the Marianapolis School of Thompson, CT; and the Berkshire School of Sheffield, MA at the Blodgett Boathouse. The course, 1500 meters long, had a slight tailwind between 8-10 mph, with some occasional crosswinds. The temperature, meanwhile, was in the 60s!
Overall, Pomfret performed well, placing 2nd out of 3 or 4 in the majority of the races. Lincoln brought a deep program, fielding a 4th boat on the water, which added to their winning 3 of 4 races; whereas Berkshire brought only 3 boats, but still performed well, winning the 2nd boat race. Marianapolis, a very new team, had only 2 boats, which both represented their school well. We at Pomfret were glad to host another (rare) eastern CT crew at Quasset Lake, and look forward to racing them in the future as their program grows! Across the board, Pomfret got to experience a more evenly matched assemblage of crews, which will help with racing in the future.
1st Boat Race
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Charlotte Apuzzo ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Abi Trivella-- rowed a great race, coming in 2nd place behind a fast Lincoln crew, and beating out Berkshire, another typically fast crew. They had a clean start, with no blades hitting the water, and rowed together gracefully with good boat balance.
2nd Boat Race
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Alexsa Jack; 3-seat Abby Conway; and bow Dolores Ma-- had a more difficult time with their race. The boat rowed inefficiently, with a fast race pace and a strong group of girls not reaching their full potential and making for a wheels-spinning-in-the-mud phenomenon. Though their racing was trying-- especially due to illness, mental battling, and wind impacting this boat-- the Pomfret 2nd boat completed their race , and will look forward to switching things up for future racing.
3rd Boat Race
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim; Stroke Kailey Castle; 2-seat Julie Sullivan; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Linzee Tracey-- had a great race with a 2nd place finish behind Lincoln. This boat, accustomed to rowing with Pomfret's 5th boat during practice, got to see its true skill as a 3rd boat when compared to the 3rd boats of other teams. With 10 seconds behind Lincoln, 6 ahead of Berkshire, and 30 seconds ahead of Marianapolis, this crew now knows it has a lot of power, to be increasingly realized as technique is mastered!
4th Boat Race/5th Boat Race
This race combined Pomfret's 4th and 5th boat with Lincoln's 5th.
The Pomfret 4th Boat-- consisting of coxswain Polina Lipskaya; Stroke Lena Geier; 2-seat Kylie Blake; 3-seat Jessica Hua; and bow Alice Le-- had a challenging race, mainly due to the fact that this boat had about 2 days of water time before being suddenly thrown into a fast race. Because these girls are still learning the ropes when it comes to being on the water, they were considerably slower than the 5th boat, having to stop several times as their blades were trapped in the water. With time, however, this 4th boat will gain considerable speed, and has a lot of potential to be realized!
The Pomfret 5th Boat-- with an all-novice crew consisting of coxswain Izzy Park; Stroke Lisa Gorbalskaya; 2-seat Alexandra Zwack; 3-seat Amalia Baron, and bow Maria Tews-- rowed their 2nd race of the season with considerable improvement from their 1st race ever. When it comes to technique, they still have a lot to learn, as there was a great deal of water missed with each stroke, meaning that the boat was slowed and off-centered. However, as technique advances and they get more time on the water, this boat will continue to improve, and will learn to work together, just as the 4th boat will.
APRIL 30 REGATTA vs. TAFT, GROTON, DEERFIELD
On April 30th (Saturday), the girls crew team hosted Taft School of Watertown, CT; Deerfield Academy of Deerfield, MA; Groton School of Groton, MA, and Southfield School of Brookline, MA at the Blodgett Boathouse. The course, 1500 meters long, had a tailwind that picked up as the day went on, with some occasional crosswinds and white-caps. The temperature, meanwhile, was in the low 60s, and enjoyable.
Overall, Pomfret faced excellent competition, and, as a result, Pomfret consistently came in last place. However, the 3rd boat came in 4th place, beating out Deerfield, and, for many of the boats, the last place finish wasn't by a gigantic margin. Though the racing was difficult, the athletes nonetheless gained more experience in the racing world, and will look forward to future races at the Blodgett Boathouse. Notably, spirits were high despite the losses, and this team maintains their status as gracious hosts and providers of camaraderie, being a team not overwhelmingly dominated by in-fighting or letting winning define their character.
1st Boat Race
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Charlotte Apuzzo ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Rosemary Osborne-- rowed well, staying with the competition beyond the 500m mark and dealing with their last place finish gracefully.
2nd Boat Race
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Alexsa Jack; 2-seat Abi Trivella ; 3-seat Abby Conway; and bow Dolores Ma-- again had a challenging race technically, rowing with the same unfortunate inefficiency as in previous races. Though the boat did not row well together, they nonetheless showed that each rower has great power to be properly harnessed with a different technical approach.
3rd Boat Race
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim; Stroke Kailey Castle; 2-seat Julie Sullivan; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Linzee Tracey-- had a great race with a 4th place finish ahead of Deerfield, a school known for its deep program and fast 1V. Though the start was choppy, this boat picked up speed, and represented Pomfret well, beating Pomfret's own 2nd boat, as well!
4th Boat Race
The Pomfret 4th Boat-- consisting of coxswain Polina Lipskaya; Stroke Lena Geier; 2-seat Kylie Blake; 3-seat Jessica Hua; and bow Alice Le-- had a better race than before, as they have gained a tiny amount of time more on the water. Though this new race was faster for them, it was nonetheless challenging for them to row at a high speed. They need considerably more water time before they can reach their full potential, and they all know that they have a lot of room to gain speed!
5th Boat Race
The Pomfret 5th Boat-- with an all-novice crew consisting of coxswain Izzy Park; Stroke Lisa Gorbalskaya; 2-seat Alexandra Zwack; 3-seat Amalia Baron, and bow Maria Tews-- rowed in tight competition with the Taft boat, staying with them all the way through to the final sprint, and finishing a mere 3 seconds behind. Though the start was 100 meters forward and difficult due to oars clashing, this boat accelerated into the finish. When it comes to technique, they still have a lot to learn, as there was a great deal of water missed with each stroke, a lack of rowing together, and overall inefficiency. This boat has continued on an upward trajectory in its learning process, and Pomfret looks forward to seeing this boat continue to improve.
On April 30th (Saturday), the girls crew team hosted Taft School of Watertown, CT; Deerfield Academy of Deerfield, MA; Groton School of Groton, MA, and Southfield School of Brookline, MA at the Blodgett Boathouse. The course, 1500 meters long, had a tailwind that picked up as the day went on, with some occasional crosswinds and white-caps. The temperature, meanwhile, was in the low 60s, and enjoyable.
Overall, Pomfret faced excellent competition, and, as a result, Pomfret consistently came in last place. However, the 3rd boat came in 4th place, beating out Deerfield, and, for many of the boats, the last place finish wasn't by a gigantic margin. Though the racing was difficult, the athletes nonetheless gained more experience in the racing world, and will look forward to future races at the Blodgett Boathouse. Notably, spirits were high despite the losses, and this team maintains their status as gracious hosts and providers of camaraderie, being a team not overwhelmingly dominated by in-fighting or letting winning define their character.
1st Boat Race
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Charlotte Apuzzo ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Rosemary Osborne-- rowed well, staying with the competition beyond the 500m mark and dealing with their last place finish gracefully.
2nd Boat Race
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Alexsa Jack; 2-seat Abi Trivella ; 3-seat Abby Conway; and bow Dolores Ma-- again had a challenging race technically, rowing with the same unfortunate inefficiency as in previous races. Though the boat did not row well together, they nonetheless showed that each rower has great power to be properly harnessed with a different technical approach.
3rd Boat Race
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim; Stroke Kailey Castle; 2-seat Julie Sullivan; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Linzee Tracey-- had a great race with a 4th place finish ahead of Deerfield, a school known for its deep program and fast 1V. Though the start was choppy, this boat picked up speed, and represented Pomfret well, beating Pomfret's own 2nd boat, as well!
4th Boat Race
The Pomfret 4th Boat-- consisting of coxswain Polina Lipskaya; Stroke Lena Geier; 2-seat Kylie Blake; 3-seat Jessica Hua; and bow Alice Le-- had a better race than before, as they have gained a tiny amount of time more on the water. Though this new race was faster for them, it was nonetheless challenging for them to row at a high speed. They need considerably more water time before they can reach their full potential, and they all know that they have a lot of room to gain speed!
5th Boat Race
The Pomfret 5th Boat-- with an all-novice crew consisting of coxswain Izzy Park; Stroke Lisa Gorbalskaya; 2-seat Alexandra Zwack; 3-seat Amalia Baron, and bow Maria Tews-- rowed in tight competition with the Taft boat, staying with them all the way through to the final sprint, and finishing a mere 3 seconds behind. Though the start was 100 meters forward and difficult due to oars clashing, this boat accelerated into the finish. When it comes to technique, they still have a lot to learn, as there was a great deal of water missed with each stroke, a lack of rowing together, and overall inefficiency. This boat has continued on an upward trajectory in its learning process, and Pomfret looks forward to seeing this boat continue to improve.
MAY 8 REGATTA (FOUNDERS DAY @ GUNNERY)
On Sunday, the top 2 boats of the Pomfret team left bright and early in the morning to attend Founder's Day, one of the largest secondary school races in New England, with a large pool of competitors racing on Lake Waramaug in Washington, CT. It was a cold and rainy start in the beautiful trailer-laden fields of the state park where the regatta was held, with a decently large headwind accelerating throughout the day as the sky cleared and the sun came out. In a regatta this big, there are qualifying heats in the mornings and then final races and petite final races in the afternoon. It was our first away competition of the season, and the long commute and large crowds made for an exciting experience for the athletes.
1st Boat Heat
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Kailey Castle ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Abi Trivella-- had a difficult race, mostly due to an unfortunate equipment failure resulting from a mix-up of oars when they launched. If they had had the correct equipment, this boat could have done considerably better in the heat that they were in amidst some crews that they could potentially have beaten based off past performances. This was the closest heat of the 3 1st boat heats in the morning, so, though they came in last, they were not last by a gigantic margin, and they were not fully to blame. This crew did not qualify for afternoon finals racing.
Times
1 Hopkins 06:23.627
2 Norwalk 06:30.047
3 L-OL 06:34.820
4 NMH 06:38.907
5 Berkshire 06:41.400
6 Pomfret 06:51.010
2nd Boat Race
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Alexsa Jack; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Dolores Ma-- had a good race overall, but were placed in a heat with more high-ranking crews, so clinching any of the necessary top 4 finishing spots that would ensure afternoon racing was a long shot. The 2nd boat rowed at a faster pace than they ever have before, and rowed well at this high rating. They also welcome a rower who has just learned how to row this spring, and has risen into the 2nd boat after only a couple weeks on the water. Congratulations to Ellie Marousis on her first gigantic secondary school away regatta! This 2nd boat has improved over this season, and will continue to do so.
Times
1 CBC 05:43.536
2 Gunnery 06:04.721
3 Berkshire 06:13.327
4 NMH 06:13.404
5 Pomfret 06:39.029
A huge thank you to the parents for coming all the way across the state and setting up delicious barbecue for the masses. A SPECIAL THANK YOU to the Castle family and the Buell family for dropping everything and driving out to our bus to help the girls find a ride home and to help me find a part that I needed that was missing from our bus on the way back.
On Sunday, the top 2 boats of the Pomfret team left bright and early in the morning to attend Founder's Day, one of the largest secondary school races in New England, with a large pool of competitors racing on Lake Waramaug in Washington, CT. It was a cold and rainy start in the beautiful trailer-laden fields of the state park where the regatta was held, with a decently large headwind accelerating throughout the day as the sky cleared and the sun came out. In a regatta this big, there are qualifying heats in the mornings and then final races and petite final races in the afternoon. It was our first away competition of the season, and the long commute and large crowds made for an exciting experience for the athletes.
1st Boat Heat
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Kailey Castle ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Abi Trivella-- had a difficult race, mostly due to an unfortunate equipment failure resulting from a mix-up of oars when they launched. If they had had the correct equipment, this boat could have done considerably better in the heat that they were in amidst some crews that they could potentially have beaten based off past performances. This was the closest heat of the 3 1st boat heats in the morning, so, though they came in last, they were not last by a gigantic margin, and they were not fully to blame. This crew did not qualify for afternoon finals racing.
Times
1 Hopkins 06:23.627
2 Norwalk 06:30.047
3 L-OL 06:34.820
4 NMH 06:38.907
5 Berkshire 06:41.400
6 Pomfret 06:51.010
2nd Boat Race
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Alexsa Jack; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Dolores Ma-- had a good race overall, but were placed in a heat with more high-ranking crews, so clinching any of the necessary top 4 finishing spots that would ensure afternoon racing was a long shot. The 2nd boat rowed at a faster pace than they ever have before, and rowed well at this high rating. They also welcome a rower who has just learned how to row this spring, and has risen into the 2nd boat after only a couple weeks on the water. Congratulations to Ellie Marousis on her first gigantic secondary school away regatta! This 2nd boat has improved over this season, and will continue to do so.
Times
1 CBC 05:43.536
2 Gunnery 06:04.721
3 Berkshire 06:13.327
4 NMH 06:13.404
5 Pomfret 06:39.029
A huge thank you to the parents for coming all the way across the state and setting up delicious barbecue for the masses. A SPECIAL THANK YOU to the Castle family and the Buell family for dropping everything and driving out to our bus to help the girls find a ride home and to help me find a part that I needed that was missing from our bus on the way back.
MAY 14 HOME REGATTA: THE DUPONT CUP
Last Saturday, the Pomfret crew program hosted a large regatta, our final home race, at the Blodgett Boathouse. The DuPont Cup is an exciting day, with a jam-packed boathouse and waterway, parents grilling in tents all over the sweeping slope of field overlooking the water, and excellent competitors from New England schools. Pomfret raced against a large and advanced program from Winsor School of Boston, MA; another large and advanced program from St. Marks School of Southborough, MA; an up-and-coming program from The Taft School of Watertown, CT; an improving Gunnery School of Washington, CT; and an all-girls Ms. Porter's School of Farmington, CT. The weather was sunny and mild and there was a light tailwind that accelerated most race times, so, overall, it was a privilege to host such a pleasant racing day!
Girls 1st Boat Race:
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Kailey Castle ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Abi Trivella, raced with technical grace, but, unfortunately, their race pace was at less of a sprint than the other boats, so their technical prowess was overwhelmed by the other schools' technique combined with sprint speed. In addition, our stroke, Kailey Castle, struggled with headache and nausea upon arriving at lake and managed to bring her best on the water without complaint or excuses. To our seniors Abby McThomas and Emily Buell, who raced their last home race on Quasset Lake -- we will miss you, and great job doing all those strokes and all that coxing here!
Girls 2nd Boat:
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Alexsa Jack; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Dolores Ma-- had a rocky start because both Winsor and Pomfret boats angled toward one another and Pomfret’s point became obstructed by Winsor within the first 5 strokes of the race. 2nd boat coxie (Madison Dean) and crew faced yelling from Winsor rowers and needed to stabilize quickly under pressurized conditions. Madison adeptly avoid collision and no re-start was allowed because oars did not clash. This difficult start led to a race that was disappointing to all the members of the 2nd boat, but we nonetheless applaud them for taking this in stride. To our seniors Madison Dean and Rosemary Osborne, who raced their last home race on Quasset Lake-- we will miss you, and great job doing all those strokes and all that coxing here!
Girls 3rd Boat:
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim, Stroke Lena Geier, 2-seat Julie Sullivan, 3-seat Abby Conway, and bow Linzee Tracey-- had some difficulty rowing together and getting their blade timing aligned, but raced quickly and brought a good competitive energy to the water. In addition, after two nights on stage acting in the lead female role for the spring play, “Peter and the Starcatcher”, Julie Sullivan rallied her energy for the Du Pont regatta and Lena Geier also rallied her physical health after battling back from leg and wrist pain the previous day-- so the 3rd boat has much to be proud of!
Girls 4th Boat:
The Pomfret 4th Boat-- with coxswain Polina Lipskaya, Alice Le, Kylie Blake, special guest Jessica Hua, and Lisa Gorbalskaya-- had a difficult race because a 4th boat rower was at the last minute unable to race, so Jessica Hua had to step up in a major way and row in both the 4th and 5th boat races. We thank Jessica for this help! Meanwhile, the hot seating delayed the 4th boat’s arrival to the starting line. Coxie (Polina) and crew in the 4th boat were shaken with mixed messages from the coaches about whether they could make their race in time. They handled the situation with grace, patience, flexibility. and, though their race was flustered due to this awkward switching and late arrival time, they embraced the race. The 4th boat will look to shuffle their line-up this upcoming week in preparation for the Middlesex Regatta
Girls 5th Boat
The Pomfret 5th Boat-- with coxswain Izzy Park, Alexandra Zwack, Mnu Vo, Jessica Hua, and Maria Tews-- had the best swing and rhythm that they've had all season, but the disadvantage of a faulty coxswain microphone left the 5th boat without time or speed measurements. Coxswain Izzy Park admirably yelled at the top of her lungs to propel her boat forward, and Jessica Hua was amazing for accepting her need to race in both the 4th and 5th boat races. The 5th boat will look to shuffle their line-up this upcoming week in preparation for the Middlesex Regatta.
Last Saturday, the Pomfret crew program hosted a large regatta, our final home race, at the Blodgett Boathouse. The DuPont Cup is an exciting day, with a jam-packed boathouse and waterway, parents grilling in tents all over the sweeping slope of field overlooking the water, and excellent competitors from New England schools. Pomfret raced against a large and advanced program from Winsor School of Boston, MA; another large and advanced program from St. Marks School of Southborough, MA; an up-and-coming program from The Taft School of Watertown, CT; an improving Gunnery School of Washington, CT; and an all-girls Ms. Porter's School of Farmington, CT. The weather was sunny and mild and there was a light tailwind that accelerated most race times, so, overall, it was a privilege to host such a pleasant racing day!
Girls 1st Boat Race:
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Kailey Castle ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Abi Trivella, raced with technical grace, but, unfortunately, their race pace was at less of a sprint than the other boats, so their technical prowess was overwhelmed by the other schools' technique combined with sprint speed. In addition, our stroke, Kailey Castle, struggled with headache and nausea upon arriving at lake and managed to bring her best on the water without complaint or excuses. To our seniors Abby McThomas and Emily Buell, who raced their last home race on Quasset Lake -- we will miss you, and great job doing all those strokes and all that coxing here!
Girls 2nd Boat:
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Alexsa Jack; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Dolores Ma-- had a rocky start because both Winsor and Pomfret boats angled toward one another and Pomfret’s point became obstructed by Winsor within the first 5 strokes of the race. 2nd boat coxie (Madison Dean) and crew faced yelling from Winsor rowers and needed to stabilize quickly under pressurized conditions. Madison adeptly avoid collision and no re-start was allowed because oars did not clash. This difficult start led to a race that was disappointing to all the members of the 2nd boat, but we nonetheless applaud them for taking this in stride. To our seniors Madison Dean and Rosemary Osborne, who raced their last home race on Quasset Lake-- we will miss you, and great job doing all those strokes and all that coxing here!
Girls 3rd Boat:
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim, Stroke Lena Geier, 2-seat Julie Sullivan, 3-seat Abby Conway, and bow Linzee Tracey-- had some difficulty rowing together and getting their blade timing aligned, but raced quickly and brought a good competitive energy to the water. In addition, after two nights on stage acting in the lead female role for the spring play, “Peter and the Starcatcher”, Julie Sullivan rallied her energy for the Du Pont regatta and Lena Geier also rallied her physical health after battling back from leg and wrist pain the previous day-- so the 3rd boat has much to be proud of!
Girls 4th Boat:
The Pomfret 4th Boat-- with coxswain Polina Lipskaya, Alice Le, Kylie Blake, special guest Jessica Hua, and Lisa Gorbalskaya-- had a difficult race because a 4th boat rower was at the last minute unable to race, so Jessica Hua had to step up in a major way and row in both the 4th and 5th boat races. We thank Jessica for this help! Meanwhile, the hot seating delayed the 4th boat’s arrival to the starting line. Coxie (Polina) and crew in the 4th boat were shaken with mixed messages from the coaches about whether they could make their race in time. They handled the situation with grace, patience, flexibility. and, though their race was flustered due to this awkward switching and late arrival time, they embraced the race. The 4th boat will look to shuffle their line-up this upcoming week in preparation for the Middlesex Regatta
Girls 5th Boat
The Pomfret 5th Boat-- with coxswain Izzy Park, Alexandra Zwack, Mnu Vo, Jessica Hua, and Maria Tews-- had the best swing and rhythm that they've had all season, but the disadvantage of a faulty coxswain microphone left the 5th boat without time or speed measurements. Coxswain Izzy Park admirably yelled at the top of her lungs to propel her boat forward, and Jessica Hua was amazing for accepting her need to race in both the 4th and 5th boat races. The 5th boat will look to shuffle their line-up this upcoming week in preparation for the Middlesex Regatta.
MAY 21 AWAY REGATTA vs. MIDDLESEX
Last Saturday, all five boats of the girls rowing team competed in an away regatta hosted by Middlesex at their boathouse on the Concord River in Billerica, MA. The start was weirdly staggered, the course had a slight curve, and the the finish of the course had a bridge blocking crews at the end, so these factors made for some slightly more stressful racing than the team was used to as compared to our straight and easy course at home on Quasset Lake. However, the weather and wind were both decent, the trailer loading and unloading was swift and well-executed, and there were rumors of a giant 150-year-old snapping turtle lurking somewhere in the marshy peripherals of the course, so it was nonetheless a day also with pleasant factors.
Girls 1st Boat Race:
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Kailey Castle ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Abi Trivella, had a disappointing race, losing by several boatlengths behind the Middlesex crew. Both Abby McThomas and Emily Buell, the two seniors in the boat, did not get to end their season with a win, which was a sad parting fact for their Pomfret rowing careers. However, both of them will be rowing/coxing in college, and they can look forward to winning races there and (hopefully) occasionally hearkening back to to their humble beginnings with the Pomfret crew team. Beyond the seniors, this boat did meet one of the key goals for this race, which they should be proud of-- after a week of intensive sprinting-focused practices, they were able to boost their stroke rating from 30 strokes per minute to 32, considerably faster and at more of a sprinting pace. Congratulations on your final race of 2016, everyone!
Girls 2nd Boat:
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Alexsa Jack; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Dolores Ma-- also had a disappointing end-of-season race, especially for seniors Rosemary Osborne and Maddie Dean. These two helped to lead this boat as it developed greater speed over the season, but did not get to have it pay off in the end. This boat was also able to meet one of the key goals of the week, however, holding the 32 strokes per minute that I requested of them, so they did an excellent job reaching this goal. Though their season ended after this race and they did not qualify for NEIRAs, I am nonetheless proud of this boat for coming together as this season went on. Congratulations on your final race of 2016, everyone!
Girls 3rd Boat:
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim, Stroke Julie Sullivan, 2-seat Abby Conway, 3-seat Linzee Tracey, and bow Lisa Gorbalskaya-- had a line-up switch for their final race, which meant that, going in, they were of a 'wing it' frame of mind. This line-up change, the main focus of which was putting measured junior Julie Sullivan as stroke, proved beneficial to this boat. Though they lost, they came of the water feeling pretty good about their race, saying that they rowed together well and that they came together a bit more as a boat. In fact, they were only 1 second behind the 2nd boat's race time, which is indeed an excellent finish time! This boat of entirely underclassmen can look forward to more coming together, both as a team and as a boat, in the years to come! Congratulations on your final race of 2016, everyone!
Girls 4th Boat and Girls 5th Boat:
The Pomfret 4th Boat-- with coxswain Polina Lipskaya, Alice Le, Kylie Blake, Jessica Hua , and L ena Geier -- raced both our 5th boat and Middlesex's 4th boat in a combined race. Their course was slightly shorter, as they started just a little bit over the starting line, and these coxswains also had to deal with a narrow 3-lane course with curves, which they handled very well during the race. The 4th boat had a decent race, though they also could not beat Middlesex. This boat overcame their initial setbacks at the beginning of the season with incredible grace and speed, and their final race, finishing 30 seconds ahead of the 5th boat, was a great pat on the back to them. The 5th boat, however, with coxswain Izzy Park, Alexandra Zwack, Mnu Vo, Amalia Baron , and Maria Tews-- did not have a good race at all, with injury and missed water making for great frustration both on and off the water. It is unfortunate that the 5th boat race ended on such a bad note, but both of these boats, with all underclassmen and almost all novices, can nonetheless hold their chins up high for a great season. They learned how to row, they learned how to race, and they learned how to work with other people, and they can look forward to more fruitful years of rowing where they can hone these skills and win race. Congratulations on your final race, everyone!
As our rowing season draws to a close, I thank, from the bottom of my heart, everyone on this team for being so welcoming to me as a new coach. This of course goes out to the rowers, but also to the other coaches, to the athletic department, and especially to the ever-present and ever-wonderful parents. It is not easy to start listening to a random person telling you to do difficult things or pestering you about logistics. Thanks for learning with me, and helping me learn a lot, too.
Last Saturday, all five boats of the girls rowing team competed in an away regatta hosted by Middlesex at their boathouse on the Concord River in Billerica, MA. The start was weirdly staggered, the course had a slight curve, and the the finish of the course had a bridge blocking crews at the end, so these factors made for some slightly more stressful racing than the team was used to as compared to our straight and easy course at home on Quasset Lake. However, the weather and wind were both decent, the trailer loading and unloading was swift and well-executed, and there were rumors of a giant 150-year-old snapping turtle lurking somewhere in the marshy peripherals of the course, so it was nonetheless a day also with pleasant factors.
Girls 1st Boat Race:
The Pomfret 1st Boat-- with coxswain Abby McThomas; Stroke Kailey Castle ; 2-seat Emily Buell; 3-seat Kelly McCarthy; and bow Abi Trivella, had a disappointing race, losing by several boatlengths behind the Middlesex crew. Both Abby McThomas and Emily Buell, the two seniors in the boat, did not get to end their season with a win, which was a sad parting fact for their Pomfret rowing careers. However, both of them will be rowing/coxing in college, and they can look forward to winning races there and (hopefully) occasionally hearkening back to to their humble beginnings with the Pomfret crew team. Beyond the seniors, this boat did meet one of the key goals for this race, which they should be proud of-- after a week of intensive sprinting-focused practices, they were able to boost their stroke rating from 30 strokes per minute to 32, considerably faster and at more of a sprinting pace. Congratulations on your final race of 2016, everyone!
Girls 2nd Boat:
The Pomfret 2nd Boat-- with coxswain Madison Dean; Stroke Rosemary Osborne; 2-seat Alexsa Jack; 3-seat Ellie Marousis; and bow Dolores Ma-- also had a disappointing end-of-season race, especially for seniors Rosemary Osborne and Maddie Dean. These two helped to lead this boat as it developed greater speed over the season, but did not get to have it pay off in the end. This boat was also able to meet one of the key goals of the week, however, holding the 32 strokes per minute that I requested of them, so they did an excellent job reaching this goal. Though their season ended after this race and they did not qualify for NEIRAs, I am nonetheless proud of this boat for coming together as this season went on. Congratulations on your final race of 2016, everyone!
Girls 3rd Boat:
The Pomfret 3rd Boat-- with coxswain Amanda Lim, Stroke Julie Sullivan, 2-seat Abby Conway, 3-seat Linzee Tracey, and bow Lisa Gorbalskaya-- had a line-up switch for their final race, which meant that, going in, they were of a 'wing it' frame of mind. This line-up change, the main focus of which was putting measured junior Julie Sullivan as stroke, proved beneficial to this boat. Though they lost, they came of the water feeling pretty good about their race, saying that they rowed together well and that they came together a bit more as a boat. In fact, they were only 1 second behind the 2nd boat's race time, which is indeed an excellent finish time! This boat of entirely underclassmen can look forward to more coming together, both as a team and as a boat, in the years to come! Congratulations on your final race of 2016, everyone!
Girls 4th Boat and Girls 5th Boat:
The Pomfret 4th Boat-- with coxswain Polina Lipskaya, Alice Le, Kylie Blake, Jessica Hua , and L ena Geier -- raced both our 5th boat and Middlesex's 4th boat in a combined race. Their course was slightly shorter, as they started just a little bit over the starting line, and these coxswains also had to deal with a narrow 3-lane course with curves, which they handled very well during the race. The 4th boat had a decent race, though they also could not beat Middlesex. This boat overcame their initial setbacks at the beginning of the season with incredible grace and speed, and their final race, finishing 30 seconds ahead of the 5th boat, was a great pat on the back to them. The 5th boat, however, with coxswain Izzy Park, Alexandra Zwack, Mnu Vo, Amalia Baron , and Maria Tews-- did not have a good race at all, with injury and missed water making for great frustration both on and off the water. It is unfortunate that the 5th boat race ended on such a bad note, but both of these boats, with all underclassmen and almost all novices, can nonetheless hold their chins up high for a great season. They learned how to row, they learned how to race, and they learned how to work with other people, and they can look forward to more fruitful years of rowing where they can hone these skills and win race. Congratulations on your final race, everyone!
As our rowing season draws to a close, I thank, from the bottom of my heart, everyone on this team for being so welcoming to me as a new coach. This of course goes out to the rowers, but also to the other coaches, to the athletic department, and especially to the ever-present and ever-wonderful parents. It is not easy to start listening to a random person telling you to do difficult things or pestering you about logistics. Thanks for learning with me, and helping me learn a lot, too.