Row New Yorkers showed their mettle at this past weekend’s Cooper Cup on the Cooper River outside Camden, New Jersey. Way to go girls!
As Coach Mike Eichler put it:
“A pre-sunrise bus trip began The Cooper Cup Regatta in Camden, New Jersey. Our traditional schedule has us slated to race at the Big Duck/East End Regatta but unfortunately a sudden cancellation of the event led our coaching staff to find a regatta in the region. We brought a fully loaded trailer and truck with us to the regatta loaded with our shells, our new partner Harlem River Crew’s shells, and our game faces.
The day began with the First and Second Novice Eights racing. Both had strong solid rows. This young group of rowers is really beginning to gel and is looking to have some top level finishes in the next two weeks. On the Varsity side the Varsity Four and Second Varsity Four raced in the Varsity Four heats and both exerted strong efforts that propelled them to the 5:30 finale. The Third and Fourth Varsity Fours had solid rows which showed program depth and highlighted strengths and weakness that will be worked on as we prepare for NY State Championships. The JV 8+ rowed a consistent race in the late afternoon that showed the overall depth of personnel of our high school program.
Throughout the day the wind continually picked up placing our trailer and us in a dustbowl, but then 5:30 came and it was time to race. The Wave and Scheerer launched off into a stiff headwind (which would be a tailwind for the race) as the rest of the team gathered at the finish to cheer their teammates. Strong finishes by both crews in 4th and 6th out of an original field of 18. For a first time showing at the Cooper Cup, we left our mark and the crews are looking to gear up for two more tough weeks in preparation for NY States.”
Our results:
Taking first in the second heat of the women’s varsity 4+ qualifying event was our Danna Matute-coxed crew, crossing the finish line at 8:08.73 and edging out Four other boats. The first heat of the women’s varsity 4+ event saw Clauida DiMaio’s crew took second in a field of five crews with a time of 8:39.89.
Row New York’s Tenzin Khangkar-coxed 4+ took fifth place in the second varsity event’s second flight with an 8:55.13 time, while our Deanna Piedra-coxed 4+ placed fourth in flight three of the same event.
We had two crews competing in the women’s varsity 4+ final. Danna Matute and Claudia DiMaio coxed their boats to fourth and sixth place finishes, respectively, with respective times of 8:05.64 and 8:52.88.
Taking fourth place in the women’s novice 8+ first flight was Metzli C.’s boat, in at 7:54.78. In the second flight for women’s novice 8+ event, Natalie C.’s crew clocked in at 7:28.71, earning a fifth place finish. In flight two of the second varsity 8+ event, Kristen Poptean coxed our rowers to a 9:29.63 time and a fifth place finish.
Congratulations to all our rowers and their efforts and winnings this past weekend!
