Hamilton College won the varsity eight in a regatta with Rochester Institute of Technology on the Erie Canal in Rome, N.Y., on April 25.
The teams faced temperatures in the 80s and calm conditions that gradually built to a 5 to 10 mile-per-hour tailwind as the day went on.
Hamilton's varsity eight crossed the finish line in 7:03.76 on the 2,000-meter course. RIT recorded a time of 7:19.99. Hamilton's second varsity eight finished third in 7:36.06 after they caught an over-the-head crab with 900 meters remaining.
An over-the-head crab happens when a rower loses control of the oar and the oar goes over their head, which kills boat speed. It caused Hamilton's second entry to almost come to a complete stop. At the time of the incident, Hamilton was just two seats down to the RIT varsity.
Hamilton's two novice eight entries took second and third place to RIT's winning time of 7:15.11. The novice "A" finished in 7:19.41 and the "B" boat's time was 7:24.40.
Sophie Breene '12 was coxswain for the varsity eight. The rest of the lineup included Kendall Scott '10 at stroke, Jenn Anderson '10 in the bow seat and the following rowers (seats seven through two in descending order): Allie Boyaris '12, Erika Desmond '12, Spencer Gulbronson '12, Sarah Weatherall '12, Holly Bailey '12 and Helen Quigley '10.
Clair Cassiello '11 was coxswain for the second varsity eight. The rest of the lineup included Lily Ericsson '10 at stroke, Haley Peterson '11 in the bow seat and the following rowers (seats seven through two in descending order): Bret Lineberry '11, Pam Lewis '11, Katya Adair '10, Eban Lewis '11, Eloise Walter '11 and Christine Raia '10.
Hanna Kahrmann-Zadak '12 was coxswain for the novice eight "A" entry. The rest of the lineup included Izzy Cannell '11 at stroke, Annika Treyball '12 in the bow seat and the following rowers (seats seven through two in descending order): McKayla Dunfey '12, Sarah Kelley '12, Elizabeth Rumelin '12, Antonia Villa '12, Virginia Slattery '12 and Katie Peterson '12.
Laura Boynton '12 was coxswain for the novice eight "B". The rest of the lineup included Weatherall at stroke, Manique Talia-Murray '12 in the bow seat and the following rowers (seats seven through two in descending order): Boyaris, Desmond, Gulbronson, Catherine Prescott '12, Alice Dannenberg '11 and Catherine Florea '11.
Hamilton competes in the New York State championships in Whitney Point on Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3.
