1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?
After many falls of playing soccer and struggling with my lack of eye-foot coordination, I started rowing the fall of my sophomore year in high school. Crew was one of the fall sports offered at my school, and as my parents had both been rowers, it seemed natural for me to try it. I admit I don't remember the first practice in particular. I do remember feeling like a Pilgrim in a lot of cold weather and on rainy, windy days that fall.
2. Was there a practice, race or other event when you fell in love with the sport, or when you knew you might not be too bad at rowing? When you thought you could make the national team?
One afternoon my first spring rowing (junior year in high school), we did a bunch of seat-racing pieces on the straight stretch of the Head of the Charles finish line. I thought it was awesome how hard everyone in both boats pulled for every single piece. I had never been part of such athletic intensity at a practice. Then, we get off the water, and there was a great attitude of teamwork and camaraderie. I was hooked.
Rowing at the elite level became a definite dream when I toured Princeton's boathouse the summer before my senior year. I watched all the national team women finishing a practice--washing boats, stretching and chatting--and wanted to be a part of it. I was in awe. I had won the 4+ at USRowing Youth Nationals that spring and thought that if I rowed at a good college program where I continued to work hard and to win races, I could be in the shoes of those national team women.
3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?
Picking a best race is hard. I love racing in general! Especially when it involves winning or qualifying. But, if I have to pick just one, I choose Head of the Charles 2008. Heading into the race, I was an underdog. (I think it's always more fun to win as an underdog.) I pushed myself to my limit the entire three miles, and it was my first big win in the single. Plus, it's a race on my home course, and the regatta weekend is one of my family's major holidays. After not making the Olympic team in 2008, winning the HOCR played a big part in my regaining my rowing confidence. I remember Fred Schoch yelling from CBC, "You won!", as I rowed past on my cool-down headed downstream to Weld. I broke into the biggest smile. It was an incredible feeling.
My best practice was in 2006 when, during a Wednesday inter-squad workout, my eight (open Varsity) raced against the 2V, 3V, and frosh light men in addition to the 3V heavies. We won a 1500m piece, beating all the guys. They were not too happy and made all sorts of excuses about our being in the favored lane, etc. Of course, we were thrilled. That was the last practice the coaches let us race the men.
As for the worst practice, in the spring of my senior year at Princeton, the lake did a mini thaw one Saturday in March. Lori thought there would be more free water on Sunday, so our team agreed to take Saturday as a day off and to row on Sunday. We expected a technique-focused, steady-state first row of the year, and we treated Saturday night like any other Saturday night. The lake refroze, and Sunday morning's workout was 5x1000m on the erg.
4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?
During college (including the U23 summer between junior & senior years), I raced on both sides and in every seat of the eight except 3-seat (and coxing).
5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?
Do what you love and what makes you happy. If that's rowing, row. And as my Dad once told me when I was heading to college: Everyone has a bad practice or two from time to time, but if rowing makes you unhappy every day for two weeks, it's time to try something else.
Birthplace: Boston, Mass.
Hometown: Newton, Mass.
Current Residence: Cambridge, Mass.
Club Affiliation: Cambridge Boat Club
Began Rowing: The Winsor School, 2001
Date of Birth: 7/11/85
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 157
High School: The Winsor School, Boston, Mass.
Undergraduate Education: Princeton University, 2007
Graduate Education: Tufts University, M.D. 2014
Occupation: Research Assistant
Employer: MGH Department of Biomedical Engineering
Current Coaches: Gregg Stone, Charley Butt, Tom Terhaar
Years on National Team: Four - 2006-7, Under 23; 2011-12, Senior
International Results: Finished eighth in the quadruple sculls at the 2012 Samsung World Rowing Cup II...Finished third in the single sculls at the 2012 Final Olympic Qualification Regatta...Finished 11th in the single sculls at the 2011 World Rowing Championships...Finished 13th in the single sculls at the 2011 Rowing World Cup stop in Lucerne...Reached the final of the Princess Royal Challenge Cup at the 2011 Henley Royal Regatta...Finished 7th in the single sculls at the 2010 Lucerne Rowing World Cup…Reached the final of the Princess Royal Challenge Cup at the 2010 Henley Royal Regatta…Reached the final of the Princess Royal Challenge Cup at the 2009 Henley Royal Regatta…Won the elite single sculls at the 2009 Henley Women’s Regatta…Won gold in the quadruple sculls at the 2007 World Rowing Under 23 Championships...Won gold in the eight at the 2006 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
National Results: Won the single sculls at the 2012 Non-Qualified Small Boat Olympic Trials...Won the Championship Single at the 2011 Head of the Charles Regatta...Won the single sculls at the 2011 Senior World Championship Trials...Finished second in the double sculls at the 2011 National Selection Regatta #2…Won the single sculls at the 2011 National Selection Regatta #1…Won the Championship Single at the 2010 Head of the Charles Regatta...Finished second in the single sculls at the 2010 World Rowing Championships Trials…Won the single sculls at the 2010 National Selection Regatta #1…Finished second in the single sculls at the 2009 USRowing Fall Speed Order...Finished second in the Championship Single at the 2009 Head of the Charles Regatta…Finished fourth in the single sculls at the 2009 National Selection Regatta #1...Won the single sculls at the 2008 USRowing Fall Speed Order...Won the Championship Single at the 2008 Head of the Charles Regatta...Finished sixth in the quadruple sculls at the 2007 USRowing National Championship…Finished sixth in the varsity eight at the 2007 NCAA Championships…Finished third in the varsity eight at the 2007 Eastern Sprints…Won the Collegiate Championship Eight at the 2006 Head of the Charles Regatta...Won the varsity eight at the 2006 NCAA Championships…Won the varsity eight at the 2006 Eastern Sprints…Won the Collegiate Championship Eight at the 2005 Head of the Charles Regatta…Finished second in the varsity eight at the 2005 NCAA Championships…Won the second varsity eight at the 2005 Eastern Sprints…Won the freshman eight at the 2004 Eastern Sprints…Won the Youth Four with Coxswain at the 2002 and 2003 Head of the Charles Regatta…Won the Four with Coxswain at the 2002 and 2003 USRowing Youth Invitational.
Personal: When not rowing, Gevvie enjoys sailing, baking, Netflix and eating...She was named to the CRCA DI All-American team and the Academic All-Ivy team in 2007...Gevvie always eats ice cream the night before a race...Her most memorable sporting achievements are winning the Championship Single at the Head of the Charles in 2008 and winning the Princeton Chase 4+ in fall 2005...Gevvie was born into rowing because her parents, Gregg and Lisa Stone, were both elite rowers on the US national and Olympic teams...Her parents have been most influential in her athletic career because of their constant support, advice and influence...The rowing achievements of her parents push and inspire Gevvie to do great things in rowing...Gevvie hopes to win an Olympic medal in rowing and then graduate from medical school.
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