Heavyweights search for solutions after disappointing San Diego Crew Classic finishes

A disappointing performance at the 27th annual Crew Classic in San Diego on Sat., Apr. 1, and Sun., Apr. 2, has heavyweight crew coach Dave Vogel reconsidering his boats. With a slow start and a frustrating finish, the varsity boat failed to make it out of its heat, unable to capitalize on a lead in the second 200 meters and coming in fourth on the day. Yale came back on Sunday to win the Petite Finals, a consolation race, and finished seventh overall. The varsity boats ended the regatta ninth in the national polls, falling three places from its lofty location the week before.

Heavyweight

Recent Results: Seventh at San Diego Crew Classic. Coming Up: Sat., Apr. 15 vs. Dartmouth in Derby, Conn.

"It's hard to pinpoint what exactly went wrong; a mistake in any direction might blow up into major consequences," Vogel said. "We did things that were not up to our normal expectations. The start wasn't strong, maybe our timing was off. This kind of performance is fairly normal early in the season," he explained. "It's quite difficult to put together a perfect eight, especially with a young team. Perhaps we don't have things quite figured out—who belongs in which boat."

According to Vogel, the race was not "a losing effort, like many other races, when the other crews are just faster." Yale dropped behind in the first 200 meters, but was not doomed by the slow start. The boat managed to race into the middle of the pack by the second 200 meters.

Yale did not capitalize on their breakthrough, though, and fell behind by the race's conclusion. "The slow start in the heat got us down in the beginning, so we were rowing three from behind. It's possible to win with that, but it takes a lot of maturity and calm under fire. That's hard for a young team," captain Sam Batchelor, CC '02, said. "The immaturity and lack of racing experience of the team showed in a lot of places. We were in third place at one point, but when the fourth boat passed us, we didn't recognize and act."

Five seniors, only two with racing experience, return to lead the Yale heavyweights this season. Half of the varsity boat is made up of sophomores, some without experience in the first freshman boat. While the team is not feeling a lack of leadership, the lack of experience might pose a problem in the season ahead.

"The team is considerably younger than last year, and that's a big deal. But we're also a lot stronger, with sophomores that are going to make a big impact. Our challenge is to turn the strength of our youth into a practical advantage," Batchelor said.

The sport calls for a perfect blend of physical exertion and timing, and the goal of each athlete is to be exactly like the seven other members of his boat. "We have to be very careful to avoid pitfalls when fighting for better skill," Vogel said. "Our advantage is that we've got incredibly enthusiastic athletes, ready to learn. That energy has to be harnessed, but it can be frustrating."

In the weeks ahead, the heavyweights will look to overcome their disappointment and focus on learning from their mistakes. The team faces a difficult season, beginning with Dartmouth on Sat., Apr. 15, and moving to No. 7 Pennsylvania and No. 4 Princeton on Sat., Apr. 22.

"It's definitely going to be a progressive challenge, and there's much to be learned from our mistakes," Vogel said. "But I'm tending not to look for all the reasons for our poor performance, because that's too much like looking for excuses. We're just looking for things to improve in the next two weeks."

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