W. Crew off to strong start

The Yale women's crew team is ready to race. Starting this weekend with its season opener against Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania, the team embarks upon the final stage of its year-long mission: winning a full team invitation to the NCAA championships early this summer. Last year only the varsity team took a trip to the NCAA Championship race, but this year all the boats in thre program are ready to prove themselves worthy.

FILE PHOTO Women's crew kicks off its season this weekend against Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania at the Connell Cup in Philadelphia. After its successful training trip to Florida, the team is looking to earn a full team invitation to the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Gainsville, Ga. from Thurs., May 24 to Sat., May 26.

Training in Florida over spring break helped jump-start the transition between winter training and spring racing. This year, unusual weather conditions allowed the team less water time than the coaches expected, but despite the "challenging [conditions], we did a good job of capitalizing on every rowing opportunity we had," Head Coach Will Porter said. "We were very happy with the training trip," Captain Lucy McClellan, JE '01, added. "We were trying to apply the power we've gained from winter training to make boats move." After all the hours of training on and off the water, "we're excited and ready to see how we stack up against our competition."

While in Florida, the team raced in the President's Cup, an informal regatta in Tampa. The varsity placed second to Michigan State, and the JV won its event. Porter took the varsity second place finish in stride. "We performed well—certainly losing to Michigan State, who had a team bid [to the NCAA championship] last year and much more depth than we do, is not a disgraceful loss," he added. "Overall we did an adequate job of performing to our abilities at that time. Last year [the regatta] was like shooting ducks in a barrel—it was really easy compared to this year."

The unofficial day of racing helped provide the team with its first taste of racing since last fall. "I think we learned a lot about racing [at the President's Cup]—it was a really good experience before our real races in the season, the ones that really count," McClellan said.

Following an entire winter of training indoors, the team eagerly awaits the chance to test its speed this weekend in Philadelphia. "We're excited and ready to see how we stack up," McClellan said. Porter added, "Facing the Quakers and Lions should be a good test of our speed." After this weekend's race, the Bulldogs charge directly into a whirlwind season. "We have one of the hardest racing schedules in the league, or even in the country," Porter said. "We face Brown, Princeton, Boston University, Radcliffe—all teams who were at the NCAA championship last year. If we make it through our regular racing season and we're still standing, we'll be in good shape for taking the championship at Eastern Sprints."

Porter foresees a very strong season for the entire women's program, and team members echo his enthusiasm. "The team improved a lot the second week of spring break when we were in New Haven. The water was great and we gained a lot of speed," Kate Riddile, TC '02, said. Riddile, who will stroke the JV boat this weekend, predicted that it will also rise to the top. "We look a lot stronger than last year," she said. "Judging off the varsity boat, we're doing much, much better than last spring. The mentality is so great and positive."

According to current plans, the program will race an unprecedented six boats this spring, including novice teams. "The freshman class is a great class," Porter said. "They are the future of our program. The novice eight is steadily progressing with many first-year rowers in the mix." Due to the large number of novices in the crew program this year, one novice eight and two novice fours will help impress the Bulldogs' opposition at every race with the ever-growing presence of Yale women's crew.

Women's Crew Coming up: Sat., Mar. 31 vs. University of Pennsylvania and Columbia; Sat., Apr. 7 vs. Cornell and Syracuse; Sat., Apr. 14 Vvs. Boston University and Dartmouth

The Bulldogs race at home in Derby, Conn. twice this spring against Princeton on Sat., Apr. 21 and against Brown on Sun., Apr. 22. Both schools exhibited strong team performances last year at both Eastern Sprints and at NCAA championships, and thus will provide Yale with "very good competition," McClellan said.

"I think this year we have very high expectations," Porter said about the team's NCAA goals. "As a team we need to focus on ourselves and produce good speed-racing to our abilities." The logistics of a team bid to the national championship regatta require the varsity eight, the JV eight, and the third varsity four to all qualify for the grand final of Eastern Sprints in May. Porter remains confident that the team's preparation this year gives it the potential to attain such a prestigious goal. "We should be in contention for an NCAA team bid if things go as planned," Porter explained. "But, you never really know what will happen until you line 'em up."

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