For those of you who have not committed the illustrious HOCR awards to memory, the BNY Mellon Championship Cup goes to the top performing Collegiate programs in the men's and women's Championship Eights. The cup was first introduced in 2013 to honor the outstanding performances and teamwork required to earn the top-standing collegiate/university position in the Championship Eight.
Without Great Eights returning to break rudders, fins, and hearts and with very limited representation from USRowing, the 2015 HOCR is any man or woman's race. The marquee events are back in the hands of the colleges, universities and clubs in a scenario that is reminiscent of the early years. This is not unusual in a pre-Olympic year and maybe all the more poignant after the pomp and circumstance of the 50th.
In 1996, the Head Of The Charles was cancelled after a great deluge (as noted on the past winners' times as “100 Year Storm” given the 1% chance of it ever occurring again) and that means (drum roll, please) that this regatta, the one without all the Olympians (at least the current contenders, the former Olympians are all still here), the people's regatta in the people's republic, is the real 50th Head Of The Charles.
So what do we have to look forward to in the BNY Mellon Championship Cup race? Let me tell you.
Most 2015 HOCR spectators and competitors are disappointed that the Sinkovic brothers aren't returning except for maybe Harvard, Washington, USRowing, and anyone entered in the Men's Championship Double and Eight. Harvard was wise, lucky, and fast to finish just two tenths of a second ahead of USRowing in 2014. That sets up a 2015 bow draw with Harvard leading the field, USRowing chasing at bow 2, and the University of Washington at bow 3. Unless USRowing fields a top calibre crew (which is unlikely in the pre-Olympic year) we might be looking at another oar clashing incident along the Eliot turn. California shouldn't be discredited in this field after finishing just a half second behind the Huskies at last year's HOCR and a recent second place finish (also to the Huskies) at IRA's. The cup could go to any of these crews, with the exception of USRowing, of course.
It isn't easy to be a newcomer in this division with the top collegiate entries coming from the most storied programs in rowing's history. With a home-course advantage Boston University and Northeastern could crack into these top crews as could the two new collegiate entries in this division at the back of the pack: Michigan (bow 21) and Stanford (bow 25).
If the Women's NCAA Championships is a precursor to the HOCR, Ohio State would dominate this field. Sadly, the Buckeyes aren't making the trip East and with NCAA runner-up, Cal, entering unseeded at bow 32, the steering advantage will certainly go to Virginia (bow 2), Michigan (bow 3), and Brown (bow 4). Virginia was the top performing collegiate program in 2014, securing the women's BNY Mellon Championship Cup handily with Michigan almost twenty seconds behind. Brown's 2014 second varsity dominated the Club 8, setting a course record by over 30 seconds and went on to win the second varsity eight division at the 2015 NCAA Rowing Championships. That talent and speed will likely be in the first varsity this year racing for the Cup. USC (bow 27) will join Cal at the back of the pack. The success of these crews is contingent on their course and the ability of the crews around them to yield. Time and again, the HOCR is called a coxswain's race. That will certainly hold true on Sunday, October 18 at 2:44 when the first boat crosses the line in the Women's Championship Eight.
These top colleges and universities will go head to head (or bow to bow) this year without the glamour of the Great Eights. They'll still face strong competition from a few new international entries (Tideway Scullers? A.U.S.R Orca?) and may or may not see a top USRowing boat fielded. In a pre-Olympic year, we'll likely see colleges and universities taking first place, not just the special medal. And despite the lack of international presence, that first place medal is still the same size, the same weight, and holds the same meaning and it will come with a really fancy BNY Mellon Championship Cup.
If you can't be here. Watch it all online or stop by for the awards ceremony, scheduled for 4:30PM in the Expo Tent at the Finish Area Launch Site.
#willthereal50thpleasestandup
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10/10/2015 9:54:01 PM