California Rowing Club (CRC) rowers were among nearly 8,500 rowers from 19 countries to take on the twists and turns of the Charles River at the historic regatta October 18 and 19 in Cambridge, Mass. CRC rowers raced well and finished within seconds of each other, continuing a trend they started at the Wine Country Rowing Classic just weeks ago in Petaluma, Calif.
The CRC had its strongest race on Sunday, finishing second behind White Trash Rowing in the Directors' Challenge Quad.
In the Championship Doubles on Saturday, U.S. Olympic duo Elliot Hovey and Wes Piermarini finished third; fellow CRC rowers Scott Gault, also a 2008 Olympian, and Donny Simkin finished fourth. Hovey and Piermarini followed two time defending champs Sloan DuRoss and Sam Stitt, who came in second this year to the Bantam Boat Club's Andrew Liverman, a CRC visiting athlete, and Peter Graves.
Also on Saturday, CRC rowers Michael Holbrook, Patrick O'Hea, and Will Miller all raced in the Championship Singles, placing 12th, 14th, and 18th.
"The weekend was fun. We all had a blast," says Donny Simkin, who raced in the Championship Doubles and the Directors' Challenge Quad. "The course is challenging if you haven't had much experience on the river, but the excitement comes not from the bridges but the racing traffic, passing on turns and screaming at boats to yield or move out of the way. I got off the water after both rows having thoroughly enjoyed myself."
CRC Rankings at a Glance
Championship Singles Men 10/18/2008
Rank Rower
12 Michael Holbrook
14 Patrick O'Hea
18 Will Miller
Championship Doubles Men 10/18/2008
Rank Rowers
3 Elliot Hovey, Wes Piermarini
4 Scott Gault, Donny Simkin
Directors' Challenge Quads Men 10/19/2008
Rank Rowers
2 California Rowing Club