This Saturday marked a successful start to the season for the Tufts' men's crew team. The race was close, with the Jumbos beating Tulane University by just under six seconds and bringing their record to 1-0 for the spring season. The conditions for the race were good, with a straight cross wind at the start and mostly flat water that allowed the rowers to race at their full potential.
The final times were close, with Tulane falling slightly behind Tufts' 6:00.8 seconds and finishing in a time of 6:05.9. Through the course of the race, the two varsity eight-boats were neck-and-neck, but the Jumbos edged out Tulane as they neared the end. The Malden River provided good waters for the race, and as the team's practice venue, afforded the Jumbos some home-team advantage.
The Jumbos gelled well, using the strengths of individual rowers to stride past Tulane. Sophomore Mike Abare commented on the chemistry and consistent talent down the roster.
"Now we're a solid crew of 16 that's evenly split between two boats," Abare said. "So we're all in this together, with everyone having an equal part."
Before the spring season began, the team held some concerns over its ability to bring together the talents of all the members to form a solid unit on the water, but if Saturday's race is any indication, they have nothing to worry about. The Jumbos successfully showed they can collaborate and row as a team, not just as eight individuals in the same boat.
Additional pre-season concerns about rhythm also evaporated on Saturday as the rowers established a solid pace and earned the win. The long hours and early morning practices that the team maintained during the winter and over spring break paid off with the morale-boosting win.
This weekend the team will race again at home, facing the University of New Hampshire, Bates College and Wesleyan University. The home advantage will allow the Jumbos to fine-tune their pace on the water and utilize the Malden River's good conditions to improve their rhythm.
Coach Jay Britt expressed his continuing faith in the team, emphasizing that a high morale will be important to ensure a strong season.
"I think the guys will continue to surprise themselves as well as the other people in our league when it comes to future races," he said. "And we're going to focus on each individual race as a separate challenge."
The season-opening win will hopefully set a precedent for the rest of the team's races this year. Experience will be an advantage for the Jumbos, as the roster is filled with veterans from the fall season and last year. Their chemistry was strengthened through early-morning and late-night practices during the winter and double sessions during spring break.
The Jumbos remain on the Malden until Apr. 23 when they will travel to Williams College to compete against Marist College, Bates and the Coast Guard Academy at Lake Onota in Pittsfield. They are looking ahead to the New England Championships at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester on May 1. If they continue to row as they did on Saturday, the Jumbos should see some smooth sailing throughout the remainder of the spring season.
