Men’s and women’s rowing teams successful at Head of the Charles

Both the men’s and women’s rowing teams competed in the annual Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston on the three-mile course over the weekend, continuing their respective notable fall seasons.

The women’s first varsity eight boat raced at a time of 17: 41.80, fifth place out of 40 teams. The second Varsity boat finished the race in 14th place with a time of 18: 09.94. The men’s team was just as impressive, with a time of 1. finished the first rowboat of the university5: 23.50 and finished eighth of 39 crews in the race.

Junior Meagan Matt, co-captain and the fifth seat of the first Varsity eight boat, told the exciting but grueling race with excitement.

“We tried to be as positive as possible and enjoy the experience … Charles’s boss is always a bit of a mess,” said Matt. “Our helmsman has adjusted to this excellently and we were able to keep calm and constancy, which has paid off for us.”

The head of the Charles course is known for a tricky bend on a bend near Elliot Bridge that confuses many helmsmen and can ultimately cost teams a race. However, the helmsmen of both the men’s and women’s teams were able to maneuver the curve with grace and contributed to the strong placements of both boats.

The men’s boat encountered two other collided boats near the turn, and the women had an encounter with Hamilton’s crew that forced them to stop for a few oar strokes.

“Hamilton was in front of us and we were catching up and they didn’t give in at first so we had to stop at one point in the race which was a bit frustrating but good in the end because we were so angry we” decided to just go for it leave as soon as we have the space, ”said Matt.

While the Head of the Charles is known in the rowing community as an extremely competitive race, the team focused more on the long-term goals of spring than getting bogged down in the stress of an autumn weekend.

“Our coach tries to minimize stress on Charles’s head,” said Matt. “We’re going to the championships in the spring, so the race is technically negligible in terms of our ranking in the NCAA. … We try to make the race reflect the practice we did in the fall, as opposed to the biggest deal of the year. “

The women have worked hard this season, constantly changing positions, especially between the second and third varsity boats, trying to find the best combinations.

“We try to get better every week,” said Matt. “Our team is growth-oriented, so we think about individual changes that can be made compared to the previous race. … We continue to look ahead and promote the unit that we have worn throughout the season. “

This coming weekend, the fall season ends for both rowing teams at the Head of the Fish Regatta in Saratoga Springs, NY, until they officially start again in March. While winter may seem long, Matt believes that spring is the key to victory.

“Winter is easy to miss, but I would say it is one of the most important times for our sport,” said Matt. “There will be a continuation of the path we have chosen, which will last us until spring.”

The first autumn season after COVID has so far been a success for the women’s rowing team with fewer restrictions.

“It’s exciting to have another full season with the team … it was a celebration of [togetherness] and it was good to be back on the water with everyone, ”said Matt.