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Heron crew cracks top-15 at Head of the Charles
October 24, 2004
BOSTON—The William Smith crew team finished 14th of 50 boats in the women’s collegiate eights division this past weekend at the annual Head of the Charles in Boston, improving three places from a year ago. Dangerous wind conditions forced race organizers to run a shortened course on Sunday, as the Herons crossed the line with a time of 13:39.672.
Powered by first-year coxswain Sunny Lord (The Peddie School/Pearl River, N.Y.), junior stroke Rebecca Gutwin (Champlain Valley Union/Williston, Vt.), sophomore Laura Batchelor (Brookline/Brookline, Mass.), junior Cassie Priest (King & Low-Heywood Thomas/Stamford, Conn.), sophomore Lauren Brady (Westover School/Ridgefield, Conn.), first-year Jessica Mahon (Rhinebeck/Rhinebeck, N.Y.), sophomore Nicole Balsamo (Newton Country Day/Centerville, Mass.), senior Lisa White (Deering/Portland, Maine), and sophomore bow Frances Parsons (Hoosac School/Liverpool, N.Y.), William Smith made history with its first top-15 placement at the Head of the Charles in five appearances.
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The William Smith varsity eight finished 14th of 50 boats in the collegiate division at the annual Head of the Charles. |
The Herons were the third Division III boat to cross the line, coming in 11 seconds behind both Smith and Trinity Colleges. William Smith defeated 15 other Division III crews, including Liberty League opponent Vassar and 2003 national champions Ithaca.
“The Herons were very tough competitors today,”Head Coach Sandra Chu said. “They came out of the starting chute extremely well, despite having to wait in very cold and stressful conditions for the start of their race. They were very long and fluidly aggressive, which is the style we have been striving for all fall.”
“I feel that they rowed with the most heart I have seen and remained powerful throughout the entirety of the race. We did not handle the windy conditions on the course as well as I would have liked, but I am extremely satisfied with our performance today.”
The Herons close their fall season on Oct. 30, at the Head of the Fish in Saratoga, N.Y.