Standing Tall At Henley, 

Virginia Validates Vails

Henley-on-Thames, England — At 10 o’clock this morning, there was a slight bottleneck at the end of the Henley Royal Regatta course on the River Thames.

The first of two semifinals in the Temple Challenge Cup had concluded.  Cal-Berkley's lightweight eight and Harvard's freshmen eight cleared the finish line and, hunched over in exhaustion, slowly trickled toward the docks.

Passing alongside heading toward the starting line, meanwhile, was Amsterdamsche Studenten Roeivereeniging Nereus — ASR Nereus for brevity’s sake — a powerful composite boat featuring some of the top student rowers from Holland.

Taking in the whole scene, waiting to exit the docks with necks wrenched around looking backward, was the University of Virginia, a club program from the United States set to line up against ASR Nereus in the Temple Challenge Cup’s other semifinal.  

Cal-Berkley, Harvard, ASR Nereus, Virginia.

“Not bad company,” said UVA coach Frank Biller.

Seeing Virginia’s varsity eight grouped with some of the top college boats in the world would warm the heart of every underdog out there.  The crew that finished fourth at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta took its talent and chopped through its bracket at Henley.

There was always a sense, though, that eventually a meeting with a Goliath would arise.  Unfortunately, that day was today.  

Standing amongst elite crews, Virginia finally fell.  ASR Nereus, last year’s Temple Cup runner-up to Harvard, rolled down the Thames in 6 minutes, 22 seconds to edge Virginia by 1 length.

Biller’s crew — an undersized group with an un-intimidating erg average — never folded.

“It was a tremendous effort,” said the coach.

UVA came into the race knowing of the Dutch boat’s prowess for blistering starts.  The goal was to hang with ASR Nereus off the line and then resiliently push it until the opponent rolled over.  

Virginia pushed, but the Dutch never rolled.

“I think that was just the best we had,” Biller said.  “They rowed beyond what they’re worth on paper.  They tried and they tried all the way down.  They pushed them as much as they could.  I think that’s just as good as it gets.”

Trailing by as much as 1 3/4 lengths after the midway point, David reached in for a stone as Goliath moved steadily.  The Virginia crew upped its stroke count to 40 and hurled a stone from its sling.

ASR Nereus, however, simply batted it away.  The Dutch dvanced to a date with Cal-Berkley in Sunday’s Temple Challenge Cup finals.  There would be no upset today, but for the crew of Mark Bezold (stroke), Scott Stuard (2 seat), Sean Fagan (3 seat), Steven Lee Kramer (4 seat), Matt Miller (5 seat), Alan Kush (6 seat), Ben Hammond (7 seat), Jon Furlong (Stroke) and coxswain Allie Plettner, there was no prouder moment all year than as the hugs exchanged on the dock afterward.

“It makes everyone realize that we’re really up to something,” said Biller, who spent stints coaching in the Philadelphia area at Mount St. Joseph’s Academy, St. Joseph’s Prep and Penn A.C.  “For us to get to the final four at Henley is just fantastic.  I’ve been getting emails of congratulations from people I’ve never even heard of.  Even the president of the school emailed me.  It’s a big deal.  It’s a huge deal.”  

Epitomizing the spirit of club crew that so many Aberdeen Dad Vail teams rely on, Virginia’s varsity eight is composed of former high school rowers mixed with athletes that never rowed before college.

Hammond, the sophomore 7 seat, never touched an oar as of last August.  Yet he managed to climb from Biller’s novice eight all the way to the varsity eight.  In less than a year, Hammond went from being a non-rower to a competitor at the most prestigious regatta in the world. 

“I’ve never been a part of anything like this before,” he said.  “It’s been unforgettable.  I had no idea any of this could happen.  The more I’ve gotten into it, the more I’ve fallen in love with it.  Now, here I am.  This is the best (Virginia) has ever done at Henley.  I’m so proud to have been part of it.”

Proud being the key word — as in, Virginian did Dad Vail proud.

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