Still Standing Tall

Following a bizarre season that saw a boat-wide bout with pneumonia and an overhaul of its lineup, Virginia beats odds to advance to Temple Challenge Cup quarterfinals

Henley-on-Thames, England — If there was ever a year that the University of Virginia varsity eight would post its greatest performance at the Royal Henley Regatta, 2011 would not have been the obvious guess.

"Yeah," said senior captain Mark Bezold, "it's been a weird year."

Yet, lo and behold, Virginia notched a one-length victory over Oxford Brookes University this afternoon as the sun made its slow decent toward the horizon over the River Thames.  The win propelled the crew to a quarterfinal meeting against the University of London in the Temple Challenge Cup — the furthest any Virginia crew has ever advanced at Henley.

“This win forces us to kind of take a step back and think, ‘Wow, other crews have come here and haven’t done this well,” said Bezold, the crew’s bow seat.  “It’s pretty exciting for us, with everything we’ve been through, to get to come out here and really show what we can do on the water.”

As Bezold spoke, it was clear that none of this seemed possible around a month ago.

Let’s remember back to the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta in mid-May.  Virginia was a crew on life support, (almost) literally.  Following a third-place finish behind Florida Tech and Temple at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships in mid-April, the team was besieged by ill fate.

Pneumonia struck six members of the varsity eight.  For a five- to six-week span, antibiotics were used more than ergs.  The crew knew since last August that a trip to Henley was going to be made regardless of what occurred in Philadelphia, but at that point, Virginia simply needed to fill a boat healthy enough to row 2,000 meters on the Schuylkill River.  

By the time the Aberdeen Dad Vail wrapped up, a fourth-place finish in the grand finals practically seemed like a victory.  Because the Henley trip was already scheduled, Virginia was able to take many positives from its performance at Vails.  That focus resulted in a resounding gold-medal performance two weeks later at the American Collegiate Rowing Association Championships—the national championship for club rowing programs.

Not only did Virginia win gold at ACRA, it defeated Michigan, the Dad Vail champion, in the process.

“Having Henley in the background helped us keep some perspective,” Bezold said.  “We knew we were training for something just beyond the next week.”

On top of needing to get healthy, Virginia coach Frank Biller also shuffled the deck in his varsity eight during the time between SIRA and Dad Vail.  Over the time, Scott Stuard shifted from three seat to two seat, Sean Fagan moved from stroke to three seat and Jon Furlong shifted from bow to eight seat.  As if that wasn’t enough, Bezold was moved from the JV eight to the varsity bow seat and Ben Hammond, a sophomore who never rowed prior to September, moved from the novice eight to the varsity seven seat.

Only the four, five and six seats — Steven Lee Kramer, Matt Miller and Alan Kush — have remained unchanged.  Coxswain Allie Plettner has also been there all along.

“The way we train all year long is to adapt to situations,” Biller said.  “We do a lot of individual work, we scull a lot and some times I send them on some adventures that work on their mental strength.  This way they’re able to face awkward situations and take it as it is.”

Five member so of Virginia’s crew are seniors.  At this point, each race at Henley is one more opportunity to extend their careers — one more opportunity to keep this bizarre season alive.

“We can still do more,” said Bezold.

Given Virginia’s resilience, there isn't much it can’t do.

***

Hawks' Talons Clipped By Shrewsbury

Henley-on-Thames, England — St. Joseph’s Prep lost in the second round of the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at the Royal Henley Regatta this afternoon by 3/4 length to the Shrewsbury School of Shropshire, England.

The Prep was even with Shrewsbury passing Temple Island, about 200 meters into the River Thames’ 2,112-meter course.  Slowly but steadily, thought, Shrewsbury pulled ahead and led by a 1/2 length for the remainder of the race.  The Hawks were never able to muster a move to pass Shrewsbury.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Hawks, who were looking to win the Princess Elizabeth Cup for the first time since 2000.  The Prep was the first of the eight selected schools to be knocked out of the competition.

Shrewsbury finished in 6 minutes, 26 seconds; the fast time of the day in the Princess Elizabeth as of this post.  The crew will race either Radley or Shiplake in tomorrow's quarterfinals.  Shrewsbury is a four-time winner of the Princess Elizabeth Cup, the last time coming in 2007.

BULLDOGGED: FIT Edged By Defending IRA Champs

Henley-on-Thames, England — Passing through the Henley Royal Regatta finish line, the slumped shoulders of Florida Tech told the story.  There weren’t tears.  Just pure exhaustion.

FIT made a valiant effort in its second round race in Henley’s Temple Challenge Cup on Thursday, powering down the River Thames to take a slight lead midway through, but it wouldn’t be enough against the Yale lightweight eight — the defending IRA national champions. 

“We did everything right and we lost,” said Plamen Ivanov, the boat’s sophomore 4 seat.  “We just experienced what it’s like to race at a world-class level and get pinched.”

Yale topped FIT by a 1/2 length with a winning time of 6 minutes, 24 seconds.  It was the second-fastest mark of the day in the Temple Challenge Cup behind only Cal-Berkley’s freshmen eight (6:21), the competition's favorite.

“We lost with pride,” said Jonas Karalius, FIT’s sophomore stroke.

Following the race, head coach Jim Granger stood encircled by his oarsmen — Karalius and Ivanov, along with Alec Bertossa (bow), Troy Toggweiler (2 seat), Frank Campione (3 seat), Spencer Freeman (5 seat), David Crooke (6 seat), Mingdaugas Beliauskas (7 seat) and coxswain Casey Dalal — and proudly said, “It was a strong row.  You were a half-length off a national champion boat.  There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Yale was warned twice for errant steering into FIT’s lane on the Thames’ tight two-lane course — once at the start and again with approximately 500 meters left to go. 

Florida Tech tied for the fastest time of the day at the Thames’ barrier (1:46) and the second-fastest time into Fawley (3:05).  Yale, however, increased its stroke rate over the second half of the race and gained control.  It was an impressive performance that the Bulldogs will look to build on heading into tomorrow’s meeting with Harvard’s freshmen eight. 

“We came out swinging big and took a run at it,” said Campione, a FIT sophomore.  “I’d go as far as to say that that was our best piece of the year.  That was just a very good crew.”

With a varsity eight composed of one junior, six sophomores and one senior, Florida Tech’s oarsmen will return intact next year.  Their season will revolve around avenging this year’s second-place finish at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta.  By capturing gold at Dad Vail in 2012, a return trip to Henley could be ahead.

The team’s lone senior, coxswain Casey Dalal, sees a bright future.

“First of all, this trip assures that they’ll be in shape next fall,” said the varsity eight’s four-year cox.  “It’s never good to lose but we know we lost today because (Yale) was very fast and that will ultimately serve as great motivation to reach that elite level.  There are some good freshmen coming in next year, too, so the competition to get in that boat or stay in that boat will be extremely high.  That, alone, will make them faster.  I definitely think the only place they’re going is up.”

It’s one of the harsh realities of rowing; sometimes the other boat is just better.  It’s up to the losing crew whether to get stronger or accept losing.

It’s quite clear which crew Florida Tech is.

***

Malvern "B" Bows Out


Henley-on-Thames, England — Malvern Prep's "B" quad fell to the Yarm School this morning in opening-round action of the Fawley Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta.  Yarm won in 7 minutes flat, barely edging Malvern at the finish line.

Malvern’s "B" quad was able to qualify to compete in the Fawley Cup by finishing in the top eight out of 61 boats in the time trials. 

Malvern's senior quad, a five-time champion at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, will face Clydesdale Amateur Rowing Club (Scotland) on Friday in it's first Fawley Cup race.  

Malvern reached the quarterfinals in the same event at the 2007 Henley.




***

BREAKING: FLORIDA TECH FALLS TO YALE


The Florida Tech varsity eight fell to Yale's lightweight eight in the second round of the Temple Challenge Cup this morning.  Yale put together a series of strong moves in the middle of the River Thames' 2,112-meter course and won by a 1/2 length.  Florida Tech, despite jumping out to one of its best starts off the line this year, has been eliminated from the Henley Regatta.


Full story upcoming.




***

Race No. 2

Temple Challenge Cup

Thursday, 10:30 am GMT (5:30 am Eastern)

vs. 

Yale University 

Lightweight Varsity Eight

Winner advances quarterfinals to face winner of 

Harvard University (Frosh 8) vs. Durham University “B”

Results will be posted as soon as possible after the race.  You’re encouraged to check Henley’s homepage for immediate results.

***

Crooke Comes Full Circle

After attending Henley for three years as a spectator, Florida Tech’s David Crooke finally hits the River Thames as a competitor.

Henley-on-Thames, England —The last three years, David Crooke traveled to the banks of the River Thames to soak in the Royal Henley Regatta’s grandeur as a spectator. He watched, but didn’t race; cheered, but didn’t compete. He walked amongst Henley’s famed rainbow of blazer — everything from baby chick yellows to salmon pinks and chickpea tans to clownfish oranges — but wasn’t truly part of Henley.

It was a cruel purgatory for a budding young rower.

Crooke had the opportunity to visit Henley for the first time in the summer of 2008. His father moved to London in July 2007 and Crooke, who had recently graduated from high school in Dayton, Ohio, decided to take a year off from school to travel Europe and row out of Eton Excelsior Rowing Club in Windsor, England. He enrolled at Florida Tech in fall of 2008, joined the crew team, and returned to Henley in 2009, after his freshman year.

When Crooke attended last year’s Henley following his sophomore year, a thought percolated in the back of his head — it would be really great to row here with FIT.

One year later, that idea became a reality.

“By the third year, I really, really wanted to race here,” said Crooke on Wednesday

afternoon. “The progression got stronger each year.”

Sitting in the six seat of Florida Tech’s varsity eight, Crooke pushed off from a dock on the Thames just after 9 o’clock this morning. Head coach Jim Granger looked down upon Crooke and his fellow oarsmen and delivered his ritualistic last words.

“Row hard. Row well.”

At that moment, the realization set in for Crooke. He was here — at Henley — on the Thames — competing. The boat pulled away from the docks and out toward the freeway of boats teeming up and down the river. FIT rowed downriver past the Stewards’ Enclosure. It stroked past the Regatta Enclosure that Crooke used to sit and watch from, then past the Barn Bar where he ate. Finally, the crew passed Temple Island and spun toward the starting line.

As FIT circled back, a wrestling match of nerves and excitement waged on in Crooke’s

stomach. This was finally it.

“It wasn’t until we got to the starting line that I settled in and the race itself felt like any

other race,” Crooke said. “I just listened to (coxswain Casey Dalal) and watched (stroke seat Jonas Karalius).”

Crooke, Karalius, Dalal and the rest of the FIT eight squashed their nerves. The crew churned down the Thames in 6 minutes, 40 seconds to finish 1 1/4 length ahead of Cambridge LRC. After three years of waiting Crooke rowed in — and won — his first race at Henley. Upon hitting the finish line, Crooke’s back was facing the same Thames Bridge that he crossed three years ago when he caught his first glimpse of Henley.

“I remember walking over the bridge for the first time; looking left and seeing the layout of the Regatta — the tents, the stands, the docks and all the people,” Crooke said. “It was unbelievable.”

Tomorrow Crooke will have another go-round — a second round test in the Temple Challenge Cup against Yale’s lightweight eight. As was the case today, the family he used to attend Henley with — his mom, dad, brother and two sisters — will cheer him on from the Enclosure he used to watch from.

Having come full circle, Crooke summed it up this week the best way he could.

“It’s just surreal.”

***

Prep Catches Crab, But Grabs Bull By Horns

Henley-on-Thames, England — Philadelphia's St. Joseph’s Prep’s five-race quest to reclaim the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup it won 11 years ago was nearly derailed a few minutes after it began on Wednesday.

A boat-stopping crab just over 600 meters into today’s opening-round race against King’s College (Chester, England) sent shockwaves through the Prep’s varsity eight.  It would prove only a hiccup, though, as the Hawks cooly recovered.  

After watching King’s pass its fledgling boat following the crab, the Prep regained the lead and ultimately won by 1 1/4 lengths to advance to the second round at the Royal Henley Regatta.

“It was a credit to the coxswain and the crew that they got their act back together, got control of the race and rowed within themselves to finish the race,” said Prep head coach Jim Glavin.  “However, they can’t afford to do that again.

“I told them that it happens — everybody crabs in a race sooner or later.  The problem is, the things we were doing in the race at that point were making the boat go fast, but also putting us in a precarious position in terms of the potential for a crab.  Then it happened.”

The Hawks held a 1 1/2 length advantage over King’s before catching the crab and finished the 2,112-meter course in 6 minutes, 49 seconds.

“These are young guys and that could be the cause,” Glavin said.  “They were trying to react to the wind in a way that was reactionary instead of technically sound.  The good news is that they did it today and they won’t do it again.  I told them, ‘If this is Monopoly, you just used your get out of jail free card.”

St. Joseph’s Prep will line up against the Shrewsbury School, which topped Winchester College by 2 1/4 lengths in 6:59, in Thursday’s second round.

“It’s a really good competition, but I still think we can compete,” Glavin said.

***

Malvern Prep, another Philadelphia-area high school, will also be in action on Thursday.  Coach Craig Hoffman has two boats entered in the Fawley Challenge Cup and his "B" quad will take on the Yarm School in Day 2 of the Royal Henley Regatta.

Malvern's senior quad, coming off five straight Stotesbury Cup Regattas championships, will face the winner of Canottieri Sebino Lovere (Italy) and Clydesdale Amateur Rowing Club (Scotland) on Friday.

Malvern’s “B” quad was able to qualify to compete for the Fawley Cup by finishing in the top eight out of 61 boats looking to advance in time trials.  Four U.S. crews were unable to advance in qualifying, including the quad from St. Joseph’s Prep. 

***

FIT Wins Opening Race, Eyes Yale

Henley-on-Thames, England — Florida Tech entered Wednesday’s first-round meeting with Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club at the Henley Royal Regatta with a straightforward motive.

Win the start.  Win the race.

The no-frills approach worked.  FIT jumped out to an early advantage just a few strokes into the race and cruised to victory over Cambridge on the shimmering waters of the River Thames.  

The win sets up a meeting with Yale University’s lightweight eight, the IRA national champions, in the second round of Henley’s Temple Challenge Cup.  The start time will be determined at the end of Wednesday’s racing.  

“The start was solid,” said FIT coxswain Casey Dalal.  “We were a 1/4 boat up about 10 strokes into the race and then shifted to a higher (stroke) rate for the center portion of the race.”

After leading through the middle of the race, FIT extended its lead further over the final 500 meters.  From there it was all Tech.  Cambridge didn’t challenge.

“Henley rewards rowing from the lead position,” said FIT head coach Jim Granger.  “You have to be a really strong crew to row someone down from behind.  We have been fast off the start all year long, so we wanted to play to our strengths and get off on the first 25 or 30 strokes.”

While the victory over Cambridge came rather smoothly, there was one minor bump, or boom, along the road.  

Nearing the 350-meter mark not long after its solid start, FIT’s shell caught the currant and the crew’s oars smacked the wooden booms that guide Henley’s 2,112-meter course.  Disaster seemed imminent for a fleeting moment, but the calamity would be nothing more than a brief setback.  FIT regained its composure and continued to cruise.

“I think we only lost one or two seconds out of it,” said Dalal, a senior from Melbourne Beach, Fla.  “We got back together after that and went up by about a full boat length.  It was frightening for a moment, but after we got back away from it we were fine.  It didn’t really effect anyone nearly as much as I thought it was going to.”

With an emphasis placed on a quick jump from the Thames starting platform, FIT needed to evade the typical nerves felt by American crews at their first Royal Henley Regatta.  As the crew approached the line and the magnitude of the moment rose, any nerves were replaced by eagerness. 

“The nerves weren’t out of the ordinary,” said David Crooke, the boat’s junior six seat.  “It was excitement more than anything.”  

Florida Tech finished with a time of 6 minutes, 40 seconds.  Yale topped St. Hild & St. Bede College by 1 1/4 in 6:42 — nearly identical to FIT’s results. 

The results, though, don’t tell the entire story of Wednesday at Henley.

“The times were getting faster over the course of the day as the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind,” Granger said.

FIT will have an opportunity on Thursday to line up against one of the elite crew programs in the U.S.  Yale is well familiar with Henley.  FIT, meanwhile, is making its first appearance since 1996 and 2011 marks the first time an FIT eight has been on the Thames in over 25 years.  

“Henley offers an opportunity to compete against the best,” Granger said earlier in the week.  “If you want to become an elite crew, you eventually have to race against the elite crews.”

***

ONE DOWN, FOUR TO GO

BREAKING:  Florida Tech beats Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club with a 1 1/4 length victory to advance through Royal Henley Regatta.  FIT led the entire race and finished with a winning time of 6 minutes, 40 seconds.

Florida Tech will face Yale (LWV8) in tomorrow's second round of the Temple Challenge Cup.  Yale defeated St. Hild & St. Bede College (England) by 1 1/4 length this morning.

FULL STORY UPCOMING

Race No. 1

Today, 10:05 am GMT (5:05 am Eastern)

vs. 

Cambridge University 

Lightweight Rowing Club

Winner advances to face winner of 

St. Hild & St. Bede College (England) vs Yale (LWV8)

Results will be posted as soon as possible after the race’s conclusion.  You’re encouraged to check Henley’s homepage for immediate results.