Brotherly Love:  Philly's Merion Mercy Advances to Junior Four Semifinals

Henley-on-Thames — Overcoming the strongest headwind they’d faced this season, Merion Mercy’s varsity four advanced to the semifinals of the Henley Women’s Regatta, winning two races Saturday at Henley-on-Thames, England. 

In the quarterfinals, Merion knocked off the Headington School of Oxford by four lengths, after beating another English boat, St. Edwards School, by 1 3/4 lengths in the first round.

In Sunday’s semifinal, Merion will face a junior four from Northern Ireland featuring girls from two schools, Methody College of Belfast and Portora of County Ulster. They have combined forces for Henley. The final is later on Sunday afternoon.

“An unbelievable challenge,’’ Merion coach Mike Brown said of the task ahead. “The kids are focused, though. They know what’s at stake. But we’ll be focused.’’

Conditions for the quarterfinals were a factor for every boat racing Saturday afternoon.

“It was pretty rocky,’’ said Merion coxswain Maddi Ratfield. “The wind kept blowing us over to the barrier a little bit, so I had to keep addressed at my point.’’

Merion senior Amanda Lorei said they took the quarterfinal lead over “the first 20 strokes. We got out ahead and stayed ahead.’’

The Merion girls are racing in a shell lent from King’s College in Wimbledon.  The borrowed boat was well received except for one small issue — the shoes in the shell were broken and duct taped into position.  The head coach of Queen’s University crew came through in the last minute on Saturday with an upgrade in the form of new shoes to be installed.  

“That’s sort of the Merion program,” said Brown, who started the program in 2005.  “We’re just putting it together as we go along.”

(FYI, The Baldwin School’s quad lost to another Headington boat in the first round. Baldwin’s double won its opening race against Marlow Rowing Club and had a quarterfinal race a little later on Saturday.  That result will be available at hwr.org.uk)