On Sunday, October 23 Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart rowed in its second Head of the Charles Regatta. The excitement was as palpable as our inaugural 2010 Head of the Charles because this year the Newton Country Day team rowed in two events, the Women’s Youth 4+ and the Women’s Youth 8+ races.
The Head of the Charles is the world’s largest two-day rowing event. Racing against 76 teams from across the country and Canada, the Newton County Day 4+ team, captained by four-year coxswain B. Seiler ’12 broke its 2010 time and finished in 18th place. The race commentator tipped his hat to the Blue and Silver when he was heard announcing that the Newton Country Day School Rose Philippine Duchesne, in only its second Head of the Charles, is nearing the finish among seasoned top competitors! The team roared from a 37th place finish last year to cross the finish less than one minute behind the first place boat in their division.
Rowing in the ergonomic M2 Vespoli Four, J. Coombs ’12, M. Supple ’13, M. Swords ’14, and H. Stillwell ’12 skillfully navigated the river and its series of serpentine turns to slash 18 seconds off the NCDS 2010 time, finishing with an official time of 19:49:82. Adding a little Sacred Heart Network rivalry to the Head of the Charles, last year the team from Newton finished nineteen boats behind the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, CT, and this year came in eight boats ahead of the Greenwich team.
The 2011 Head of the Charles drew almost 9,000 athletes from 650 university, high school, and club teams rowing in 1,953 shells. The rowers represented 19 countries and competed in 61 different race events. The talent varies from novice to Olympian rower. Now in its 47th year, the Head of the Charles Regatta starts at the Boston University Boathouse and winds its way for 3.2 congested miles upstream to the finish just past the Eliot Bridge. It is a challenging, elapsed-time head race that requires fluid navigation, a plethora of buoys and boats, and six bridges that include five triple-arch bridges. A poorly made turn, a buoy violation, failure to yield, clashing oars, or a “crab,” could result in team penalty points or an unglamorous dunk in the Charles. The boat that rows the course clocked at the fastest time, including penalties, wins the event.
“NCDS Varsity Crew put forth an incredibly strong performance at the Head of the Charles Regatta,” says second-year Coach Katherine Spelman. “In only its second appearance at the Head of the Charles Regatta, the Newton team rowed to an impressive 18th place in the Women’s Youth 4+, and to 53rd place in a field of 74 powerful competitors in the Women’s Youth 8+. With the help of coxswains B. Seiler ’12 and K. O’Kelly-Lynch ’13, who steered a masterful course down the Charles River’s difficult turns, both boats demonstrated that Newton Crew has become a force to be reckoned with in its few short years as a varsity program!”
The Newton 4+ team expertly out-rowed experienced Head of the Charles programs and took no penalty points. Rowing in Wellesley College’s Winifred Read Wilson, the 8+ team from Newton clocked a 19:29:58 time with no penalties. The 8+ Newton rowers crossed the finish two minutes behind the lead boat. Second-year Head of the Charles rowers C. Vickers ’12 (seat 8) and M. Flores ’13 (seat 1) added their experience to the 8+ team that included E. Greene ’13, C.Brennan ’13, O. Okoye ’13, C. Fitzgerald ’14, K. Baldwin ’14, and M. Murray ’13.
A crowd of Newton Country Day families, students, and faculty joined the 300,000 spectators who lined the river banks and crowded bridges. Coached by Ms. Spellman who rowed for Wellesley College and three-year assistant coach Mr. Vincent Granata who rowed for Yale University, the Newton rowers were ready. Their daily afternoon practices on the Charles added to the adrenaline rush – they were on “home” waters and excited and prepared to outstroke the competition.
“To have two entries accepted for the Head of the Charles is very exciting for our program and an honor for all NCDS rowers,” says Coach Spellman.