Race story

A story about a regatta or race

League Race #3 - Battle of the Bay (March 6)

Mama said there'll be days like this,
There'll be days like this Mama said

    The Shirelles – Mama Said (1963)

BHS Crew fans awaiting finish
Photo courtesy of Mike Gill

Four weeks into the 2010 Berkeley High School crew season, the team had the opportunity to measure itself against the top competition.  Joining Berkeley High in League Race #3 – the Battle of the Bay – were three teams: the Marin Rowing Club, Saint Ignatius High School and our hosts, the Oakland Strokes.  Facing this level of talent made for a tough day for the Jackets, for sure.  But sobering results were mixed with promising ones, and even a bit of giddiness.

League Race #2 - Port of Redwood City (February 27)

Brooding dawn sky over Port of Redwood City
Photo by Mike Gill

Under foreboding skies, as word of a tsunami bearing down across the Pacific roiled the crowd, Berkeley High School faced off against Los Altos Rowing Club, Norcal Crew, Palo Alto Rowing Club and Serra High School early Saturday morning in its second league race of the season. 

Coach Morgan and the men's novice 8+
Photo by Mike Gill

Rowing on a course that was shifted to mesh with sailboat races, the crews had to scramble to keep organized and execute their race plans. The Jackets, showing their flexibility, stepped up their game and rallied to win a number of races and "beat some boats" in others.

 boats waiting to unload
Photo by Eric Carlson

League Race #1 - Lake Merced (Feb 14)

two boats at the finish line

Photo by Eric Carlson

The 2010 season for Berkeley High Crew started on Sunday, February 14th as the team competed in its first league race of the year at Lake Merced in San Francisco. The 1500 meter distance was shorter than normal, but that didn't mean the racing would be any easier.  If anything, it meant the teams would be truly sprinting from the start!

Berkeley joined the River City Rowing Club and the Pacific Rowing Club for the race.  It was a quieter event than last year, with only three teams participating, but tension still found its way into the event. Throughout the day, the women's and men's teams contested a total of 15 races. 

Success at Peninsula Indoor Rowing

BHS Rower at 2010 Peninsula Indoor Rowing Championships
Photo courtesy of Tony Elkan
 

Congratulations to our BHS women’s varsity and novice rowers and coxswains who participated in the Peninsula Indoor Rowing Championships on Sunday! The team had a great day--almost everyone pulled personal records, both varsity and novices. The girls swept the freshman event: 1st place - Cassidy Villeneuve, 2nd Place - Eden Teller, 3rd place - El Holland. In the women's junior open event, 6th place went to Maya Lefao. 

See photos from the event.

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Good fun at the 20th anniversary Holiday Sprints

As happens each December - with this time marking the twentieth year - Berkeley High Crew alumni, some of whom have gone off to row at the collegiate level, returned to the Bay Area to challenge our current team. On December 20th, JLAC provided the setting for this year's reunion.

Three races were held that day. The first, a race of four 8s, was handily won by the novice men, a good indication of the team's future! Four boats contested in the second race: two 4s, one quad and a pair. The alumni men pulled it out, avoiding a coach's threat that they'd have to wash the boats if they lost. The final race included mixed teams and an all-coxswain boat. The mixed lightweight 8 won the race, just squeaking past the cox boat! (Sort of.) One certain Crew Board President was overheard saying something about the cox boat being a "boat full of backseat drivers." Many expressed concern that the coxes may have been slowed down by the fact that they had nine PA systems installed in that one boat. Next year, a design change could make the difference.

BHS Crew starts year with success at Bair Island Regatta

women's lightweight 4+ rowers on shore victorious! Photos courtesy of Mark Shaw (top left), Eric Carlson

Small Clubs Regatta

Several BHS Crew boats did well in this last league race of the season. The women's novice 8+ A boat, the women's 2x- (coxless pair) and the men's lightweight 4+ won their races with strong performances. The novice men's 4x (quad) looked good in their race against the JLAC novice women's quad. Everyone looked good as the men's lightweight 8+ won their 1K sprint against the women's varsity 8+ and the JLAC masters. The men's freshman 8+ fell .6 seconds short of winning, and the men's JV4+, a new combination of rowers even so late in the year, raced out to a good lead before faltering to end a close second.

Next up: the CJs!

Results, on row2k.com...

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