The women's crew team is training hard this week in preparation for its final two regattas before the New England Championships on May 1. This past weekend provided an opportunity for the team to gauge its performance with ten days left, and the team performed with mixed results. The women came back from an underachieving day on Saturday to finish to finish the weekend on a high note.
On Saturday, the crew raced against Ithaca, Holy Cross, Connecticut College and Colby on the Malden River, Tufts' home site. On Sunday, the Jumbos faced the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Williams-Smith. Both days boasted perfect racing conditions, with still water and cloudless skies.
On Sunday, the Jumbos shook off a weak race on Saturday to finish second. The first varsity boat lost only to WPI in a close race.
The turnaround and second-place finish was vital for the Jumbos, as every race at this point in the season is critical. The results decide the rankings and seedings for the New England Championships.
Saturday's race against Ithaca College, Holy Cross, Conn. College and Colby College did not go nearly as well for the Jumbos.
The crew rowed well for the first 1,000 meters but lost cohesion and intensity as Holy Cross started to make up ground at the 1,200 meter mark.
The crew's first varsity boat finished in fourth of five schools and its second varsity boat finished in fourth of four (Conn. College did not have a second varsity boat). The sole bright spot was the third varsity and novice boats. Each finished second, with the third boat finishing just three second behind Ithaca. Ithaca won every race other than the novice, which Colby took.
Junior Daniela Fairchild said the team is excited about the upcoming New England Championships.
"We have just two more races before New Englands, which is what we have been rowing for all season," Fairchild said. "To make it to the National Championships, we will have to use all of our strength in the upcoming races and the New Englands."
"We have been training well, increasing our speed and improving our technique every weekend that we have raced this year," Fairchild added. "The goal this coming weekend is to use the speed of our competitors to fuel us and help us cement our place on the medal stand at New Englands."
This Saturday's race will be challenging for the Jumbos, but they are hoping to come out on top. The schools they will be facing have strong records. Smith is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, and Mt. Holyoke is No. 7, making the results from the race crucial for rankings in the coming week and for seedings at New Englands.
The women are continuing to work hard this week, sophomore Katie Saville said.
"The challenge now is even bigger than before, because we do have such depth that the expectations are a lot higher than they've been in the past," she said. "But I think we have a good chance to do well this weekend and in the New Englands."
Fairchild and expressed her faith in the team.
"This weekend we are looking to solidify a race plan, find a rhythm and step it up in the third 500 of the race." Fairchild said, "We have the power, the technique and the drive, we just need to get them all working together to make our boat really fly."
This upcoming weekend, the Jumbos will be racing against the Sister Schools of Smith College, Simmons College and Wellesley College. Following that will also be a single race against Mt. Holyoke College on Sunday to make up for the race that was postponed due to inclement weather on April 2.
