Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University rowing team kicked off its 2024 spring campaign last weekend with a double-duel format race against Robert Morris University and West Virginia University Friday, March 29, from the McPhail Boathouse on Neville Island. The morning, albeit a bit cool, was brilliantly sunny, and as the Dukes arrived to the race course, the water looked pristine. The Duquesne student-athletes were eager to take to the water to put the training they'd completed over the winter, both on land and on the water, into action against two different opponents. As the coaches and coxswains met on the launch dock, the atmosphere was good-natured, competitive and collegial amongst the different teams, and the slightest breeze began stirring against the current on the Ohio River.
As the first boat of the day prepared to launch, the Duquesne 3V8, which would race the RMU 1V8, the wind began to increase from a slight breeze to a noticeable breeze. The surface of the water began to ripple, but the sun shone brightly, and the Dukes, first to the launch dock, shoved off ready for racing. As other crews launched behind the Duquesne 3V8, the wind sharply increased intensity against the current, and what had been a picturesque scene to begin the morning became a choppy affair for the crews on the water.
3V8
As the Dukes took to the start line against Robert Morris, the wind began to blow in earnest against the current, which produced a fair amount of chop at the start. With the starting command, both crews launched off the start amid a spray of water coming off the oars and shells. Duquesne had a strong start, as did RMU, and the boats tested each other out as they dealt with an unruly Ohio River. By 500 meters into the race, Duquesne found a rhythm in the chaos and began to push their bow ball ahead of the Colonials. From that point on, the Dukes would hold down a lead, fending off challenges from RMU and by the finish line, had increased their lead to about two boat lengths of open water, finishing with a time of 7:48.70 compared to RMU's time of 8:04.27.
4V8
For a good number of athletes in the 4V8, this would be both their first 2K sprint race ever. Four of the athletes were novice rowers in the fall of 2023, and seven were freshmen taking part in their first intercollegiate sprint race ever. The young crew was anchored by senior
Caitlin DeStefano and junior
Amelia Nicholas, who were eager to share the joys and challenges of racing boats with their younger counterparts.
As the crew approached the start line, they got an ample chance to preview the worsening conditions on the Ohio River. By the time their race started, the start was chaotically choppy, while the finish line had rolling whitecaps encouraged by wind gusts in excess of 20 miles per hour (mph). With the starting command, both West Virginia University's 3V8 and Duquesne's 4V8 attacked the course and began to test themselves against each other and the conditions. For about 1,000 meters the crews held within one boat of overlap on each other, with a slight edge to the WVU crew, but at the 1000-meter mark, WVU was able to assert themselves and take a firm lead over the Dukes. The Mountaineers earned an 11 second victory over Duquesne, 8:17.08 for WVU to 8:28.15 for Duquesne.
After the first set of races, the crews were due to return to land for a quick break, and then relaunch, with the Duquesne 3V8 racing the WVU 3V8, and the Duquesne 4V8 racing the RMU 1V8, but the coaches mutually agreed that the conditions had deteriorated to the point that it would not be safe to launch crews again, and the remainder of the racing was canceled.
QUOTABLE
"Getting to do some pieces in bumpy water will only help us later in the season," Duquesne head coach
Matt Carlsen said. "Looking forward to our next race!"
The Dukes will return to action Friday, April 13, and Saturday, April 14, when they head to the Cooper River Racecourse in Camden, N.J. to compete in the Knecht Cup.
LINEUPS
3V8
Stroke:
Ella Hinchey
7:
Kelly Ardrey
6: Katie Ackerman
5:
Fiona Riordan
4:
Chloe Ernst
3:
Allyson Gallagher
2:
Maggie Ray
1:
Alice Benavides
Coxswain:
Julia Laurie
4V8
Stroke:
Caitlin DeStefano
7:
Emma Mills
6:
Cailyn LaRosa
5:
Lauren Lamer
4:
Mary Perez
3:
Amelia Nicholas
2:
Odessa Baker
Bow:
Caitlin Hahn
Coxswain:
Kat Muha
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