All the crews here have something to be proud of and I know that someone always has to get left out, BUT........ UW had the most dominant IRA performance in the history of men's college rowing, and they're losing to the winners of the CSSRA Lwt 4+?? UVa's women crush NCAA's, but only the Hoos men make the poll?? Northeastern's frosh are 12 seconds out of first place and are included, but the US LM4- that overcame great odds to win the Lucerne qualifier gets snubbed?? Interesting choices.
My fault for not nominating all of the boats at the oly qualifier. Few of us will ever know what it is like to row to the start knowing that everything you worked for could get away from you very quickly. Don't tell me that this happens at every race: try training for the Nat'l team for a year(or how about multiple years) and putting everything else on hold and having to go to the qualifier...makes my stomach weak just thinking about it. I was a nervous wreck for the crews watching the splits on the tracker.
The Saints program has flourished so much over the past three years. After winning two consecutive national titles in the senior heavy men's eight, they were able to overcome all odds and walk away with two more titles last weekend. The senior program consisted of just 5 rowers (4 of which are lightweight) and a coxswain. Despite their small numbers and relatively small body size, these young men were able to accomplish their goals, and in the process knocked off the US school national winning 4+.
The Washington Huskies program is now so dominant that the sweep of the IRA Heavyweight Men's events, the first in the long history of the regatta, seemed almost expected. People retired from the course recognizing that they are fully capable of doing it again.
All the more reason they should be crew of the week! They weathered every storm, every wind direction and everything Bruno and Harvard could throw at them in the V and J's and still came through. Recognize and embrace excellence, don't say ho-hum, they were supposed to do this...
And setting a course record in every single heavyweight event in the process? It's just absurd, if people knew they were going to sweep it, I doubt they could have predicted 5 course records at the same time.
Considering the small size of NCS -- about 280 women in the entire upper school (9-12), this is a real accomplishment for their program, their coach and the young women on their team!
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