The Duke University Women's Rowing Program has always wondered what it would be like to compete in the Dad Vail Regatta. Since 1998, when Duke announced the creation of the Women's Rowing Program, the South Region Championships has always interfered with Duke traveling up to Philadelphia.
That is until this year. Due to a change in the schedule, the Duke Women's Rowing program left its Durham, North Carolina campus on Wednesday afternoon to make its maiden voyage to the 2012 Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta.
"I am very excited we are able to participate in this year's Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta," said Duke University Women's Rowing coach Robyn Horner, who was named the program's first coach in 1998 and is entering her 14th year at the helm. "The now Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta is unique and this will be an exciting opportunity for some of the athletes to be able to row in front of family and friends."
"I am looking forward to having my athletes gain the whole experience of Philadelphia which includes seeing Boathouse Row and other elements of a city that has a tradition rich in rowing."
The Blue Devils will arrive in Philadelphia on the heels of one of the women's crew most successful spring seasons in school history, especially for the Women's Varsity Heavyweight Eight. This spring the Blue Devils Women's Heavyweight Eight won the SeaWorld Cal Cup at the San Diego Crew Classic, the Knecht Cup on the Cooper River in Camden, New Jersey and the Dale England Cup.
"Our program has had a really good spring season," Horner said. "The athletes have done a great job of focusing on one race at a time and doing what we need to do in order to be successful."
Horner's experience with the sport of rowing has taught her never to look past the upcoming race. Horner and her coaching staff, consisting of ninth year assistant coach Jim Lister and first year assistant coach Kathryn Hagglund, have done a wonderful job of making sure the athletes buy into that philosophy.
Horner said, "Each race is a new challenge. Our athletes have done a great job of preparing for each race. They know we have had a successful spring season but they also know there is still work to be done and they have to be ready if we are going to have a successful trip to Philadelphia."<
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