Rowing Advances at Dad Vail Regatta
5/11/2007 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
PHILADELPHIA, Penn. - The Alabama Rowing team won one preliminary race at the 2007 Dad Vail Regatta, considered by many to be rowing's "small college" championship, and finished second in three other races.
"We had a very good day out on the river," head coach Larry Davis said. "To have all four crews advance to the semi-finals against this level of competition is really something for us."
All four of Alabama's boats advanced to Saturday's semifinal races being held on the Schuylkill River's 2,000 meter race course in Fairmount Park.
"For us to get all four crews into the semi-finals is a real feat," Davis said. "We're rowing against established crews that have recruited athletes on their team. To some degree our ladies are rowing over their head a bit and it's been great to see. They haven't been intimidated by their surroundings. They've been excited and have rowed hard."
The Dad Vail Regatta is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States, with over 100 colleges and universities from the U.S. and Canada. Thousands of student athletes visit the city of Philadelphia during the weekend.
"One of the things I've been telling the team for the past week or so is that to be successful at this level of regatta, it takes more than being technically sound and in good shape," Davis said. "They have to be able to kick it into another gear out there and really row with inspiration. I think we've been able to do that so far. We have seen some great racing today."
Alabama's Novice 8 boat won its preliminary heat, posting a 7:11.85 to advance to the semi-finals. The Crimson Tide's time is sixth coming out of prelims. The Tide's First Varsity 8 finished second in its heat with a time of 7:01.98, finishing less than a second behind Drake's 7:01.45.
Alabama's Second Varsity 8 also finished second in its heat, posting a 7:11.58 and finishing behind Purdue. In the Novice 4, Alabama took second in its heat with an 8:16.2. Bowdoin was first with an 8:10.6.
"If we get two of the four boats into the finals, that will be a great day," Davis said. "Anything beyond that will be fantastic."
The Dad Vail is named for an early 20th century rowing coach, Harry Emerson "Dad" Vail of the University of Wisconsin. He was held in such fond regard by the Penn founders, Lev Bret and "Rusty" Callow, that they named the regatta for him.
