Alabama Rowing Opens Fall Season at Chattanooga Head Race
10/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama rowing begins its fall season this weekend at the Chattanooga Head Race on Saturday, Oct. 10. The Crimson Tide will compete in six races beginning at 8 a.m. CT on the Tennessee River.
A total of 19 Tide boats will compete in six races, starting with five in the First Varsity 8+. In addition to the typical Novice 8+ and Collegiate 4+ races, Alabama will also field a Novice 4+ boat as well as four Collegiate Pairs and four Championship Doubles boats. This year's contingent marks the largest group of rowers competing in varsity races that Alabama has ever sent to the Chattanooga Head Race. The Tide has been competing in the event since the program's inaugural 2006-07 season.
"Invariably, when we have a chance to row against similar opponents, we get an idea of how we are improving year-to-year," head coach Larry Davis said. "The last couple of years, we've had big freshmen classes, so it gives us a good idea of how we've increased our talent level and we've certainly done that. We're hoping that with our depth and our boat speed, we should see more medals this year." Last season, Alabama earned its best postseason finish in program history, finishing in fifth at the Big XII Championships. This season, the goal is to move up in the Big XII and challenge the crews near the top such as Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
"Our overriding goal is to step up in our conference and to do so, we need to improve our boat speed," Davis said. "That will be something that we polish in the fall but should really come into fruition in the spring. After tying for fifth place last season, we'd like to aim for a top-three finish and I think we're well within that ability."
This weekend is the first of three fall races Alabama will compete in. Next weekend, the Tide heads to Cambridge, Mass., for the Head of the Charles on Oct. 17 and then, two weeks later, Alabama concludes its fall season back in Chattanooga at the Head of the Hooch on Nov. 7-8. The spring portion of the schedule kicks off on Feb. 27 in Tuscaloosa as Alabama faces Eastern Michigan on the Black Warrior River.
Chattanooga Head Race Schedule - Alabama
- 9:00 - First Varsity 8+ (5 Boats)
- 11:00 - Collegiate Pairs/2- (4 Boats)
- 11:10 - Championship Doubles/2x (4 Boats)
- 1:00 - Novice 4+ (1 Boat)
- 3:00 - Novice 8+ (1 Boat)
- 3:30 - College 4+ (4 Boats)
