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)

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.

For the third week, bad weather threatened.  That part of the challenging day actually cooperated.  Not a drop of rain fell and the air was fine for a regatta, with temps in the low 60’s.  For the fans, the JLAC pier provided a great view of the finish.

Back on their home course, Berkeley rowers knew the landmarks and the currents.  The small size of the varsity squad, however, limited BHS's opportunities. The larger teams fielded varsity boats of eight that BHS could only watch.  In all, Berkeley boats raced in only 11 of the day’s 23 events.

Novice crews provided the team's brightest highlights of the day.  The women’s frosh/novice 8+ B boat won by fifteen seconds over second-place Marin.  Sharing the course with the men’s varsity double (2x) – with the coaches' approval, because there were no other men's doubles entered – the eight rowers and their coxswain kept the gas on full as they chased those boys all the way to the finish line.  At the end of the day, the men’s novice quad (4x) decisively beat the Strokes.  Congrats to these young rowers! 

Other Jacket racers worked hard in their matches, but fell short, outgunned this day by the big club teams of Marin and the Oakland Strokes.  The women's frosh/novice 8+ A boat took third in its race, falling by just two seconds to second place Oakland, 20 seconds off the pace set by winner Marin.  The men's frosh/novice 8+ gave St. Ignatius a good run for the third spot in its race, falling to SI by two seconds.  The (varsity) men's lightweight 4+ pushed the Strokes all the way to the finish before losing by seven seconds – about a boat length of open water separating the two. 

The coaches and rowers will surely take plenty of lessons from the day.  After another week of practice, Berkeley will be put to further tests next weekend.  On March 14, the team travels to Lake Natoma for League Race #4, where they will face Marin, Capitol Crew and Deepwater Rowing Association. 

The coaches have decided to fill in an empty week with another day of racing: March 20.  This date wasn’t originally on the calendar, but come on out and see the Jackets at JLAC go head to head with some other teams who won’t be heading to San Diego that weekend.  We’re going to keep at it and chalk up some more wins for sure…Go Jackets!

Results at row2.com:
Women's Novice...   Varsity...
Men's Novice...   Varsity...

Photos:   Picasa web...    Eric Carlson's SmugMug gallery...    BHS Crew gallery....