April 5, 2005

GW Crew Classic Set to Launch April 9

Annual Regatta Caps Washington’s Cherry Blossom Festival

By Julia Jacobelli

Smooth and sleek, they glide over the surface of the Potomac seemingly effortlessly in a race to reach the finish line. Oars gleam as they dip in and out of the water, and the tension in the air grows thicker as the sculls speed nearer and nearer the finish line.

Anyone who has ever witnessed a crew race understands the excitement that fills the air as the teams battle for the best time down the river. The Potomac provides a picturesque setting for the annual George Washington University Crew Invitational Classic on April 9. Both the men’s and women’s teams will square off against a small number of teams who compete only by invitation from GW.

The women’s varsity team is a younger team this year compared to recent years, comprising three seniors, seven juniors, 16 sophomores, and two freshmen. There are 27 members on the varsity team and 18 novices. Their season began on March 26, but they have been training for months.

“It is a great group with tons of potential,” said Helen Betancourt, women’s varsity coach. “I expect them to be very fast.”

The men’s team also is young, however, according to Matthew Boyle, the men’s varsity coach, the team is looking strong.

“The team did very well in the fall season, surpassing our results of the past few years,” said Boyle.

Women’s crew is an A-10 division one sport. Men’s rowing is not an A-10 sport, but they are ranked in the top 20 in the nation.

Spring is the main season for crew, although there is an abbreviated fall season. Once races begin in the spring, the teams race almost every week until nationals. Last year the men’s varsity team received a silver at nationals.

During the season, the teams train a minimum of two hours a day. The morning practices last from 6:30 am until 8:30 am, and team members are encouraged to work out on their own in the afternoon.

Crew is a sport that is relatively easy to pick up. Only a few years ago, the crew teams were compose of mostly rowers who began crew in college. Now, rowers are recruited out of high school, like most other competitive college sports.

The invitational is one of the biggest races on the East Coast, said Boyle. Every year top teams are invited to compete in the race. In particular, Navy, one of the top crew teams in the country, attends every year.

The invitational is, like the name suggests, by invitation only. Just eight crews participate in the regatta including GW, which leaves room for seven invitees. North Carolina will be attending the race this year for the first time. The other six teams have been annual attendees since at least 1998.

The Potomac is considered the “home court” of the crew team, much like the Charles E. Smith Athletic Center is home to GW basketball, gymnastics, and volleyball. The team enjoys the same “home court advantage” as in other sports for the invitational. Boyle explained that it helps to know the river, and to have specific landmarks that let the team know when to pull harder or let up during the race.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu