Summer 2015 Squaring the Blade

A Newsletter for MIT Crew Alumni mates, with whom I have remained by the memories and friendships Director’s Message in touch since graduating 33 years formed during their era, which by Tony Kilbridge ago. by definition is over. The coaches and current rowers are consumed On June 7 more than seventy MIT These two events happening on the with the challenges of the present, crew alums returned to Pierce same day, and my different role and are not inclined to look back- Boathouse for Reunion Row. in each of them, brought home to ward. Still, like members of a big, Together with their families and me the complicated relationship multi-generational family, we are friends, the rowers filled the boat- between a crew program and its bound by continuity and identity. house and dock. Regatta director alumni. Certainly, tensions exist. Today’s rowers are tomorrow’s Stu Schmill quickly organized two Alumni are bound to a program alumni, and we are all MIT crew. heats of four crews, followed by a grand final. Even with eight 8s competing, some people were un- able to row for lack of seats. Sever- al reunion classes fielded complete crews, and representatives were present from classes as recent as 2011 and as distant as 1945. The sun was warm, the water was calm, and humor and good feelings filled the boathouse.

At the same time, a reunion of my college crew was underway on the Thames River in Connecticut, in connection with the 150th running of the Harvard-Yale race. While I missed that event, I felt connect- ed to it through the exchange of emails and photos with my crew- Director’s Message happy, satisfied alumni, and that crew-alumni relationship were Director’s Message each graduating class will stay in on display at Reunion Row. The Continued from p. 1 touch with one another and with us. good feeling among the alumni of all eras was obvious. The athletic MIT crew’s relationship with its director and coaches socialized It’s natural and proper for each alumni goes beyond sentiment, of and facilitated, but mostly stayed alumnus to believe that his or her course. More than half of our oper- out of the way of the fun. Among personal experience on the Charles ating budget each year is funded by those racing were many who have was of great importance, perhaps alumni donations. The team faces donated to the team, and some who the most important ever. That significant financial challenges, have donated with great generosity. conviction is earned through the the most substantial of which is Anyone observing the scene would time, effort and devotion that all the need for a new or renovated have felt, as I did, optimistic about MIT rowers give. Those of us who boathouse. The future of MIT crew, the future of MIT crew. run the program must honor our and its ability to remain a team alumni by making the current crew its alumni can be proud of, is to I hope to see you at our fall Alumni a source of pride for them, even as a large degree in the hands of its Day races and banquet, on October the program changes over time and former athletes. 3. may look less familiar to them. We also hope that we are producing All of these elements of the Go Tech!

Contents Director’s Message 1 Spring Racing Recap 4-10

Henley Royal Regatta 3 Dad Vail Regatta 11

Fall Race Schedule 3 which will be held on June who have raced there know, it Henley Royal 26th, but the four most likely is truly a unique event and one by Jeff Forrester will. Assuming all goes well, that has to be experienced to be both crews will begin the actual understood. The team wants The MIT lightweight men will regatta on July 1st. to thank all of those who have be racing at the 2015 Henley supported us in the planning Royal Regatta in Henley-on- Aside from racing, on June and organizing of this trip and Thames, England. The crews 28th the crews will be attend- hope to see as many of you as took a week off after the IRA ing a garden party hosted by can make it in England. for the seniors to enjoy the the parents of Jamie Voros ’16 graduation activities and re- (one of the lightweight men’s Temple Cup cover from the trials of the coxswains), who lives in Lon- (c)Ali Finkelstein ‘16 season. After the rest, though, don. After that, the team will Tom Altmann ‘15 the crews hit the water with enjoy a boat tour of London via Mycal Tucker ‘15 renewed energy and fervor on the Thames RIB Experience. Lee Mount ‘18 June 9th and have been finding The day will conclude with a Luke Koblan ‘15 new speed in anticipation of reception hosted by the MIT Chris Schlaepfer ‘15 this unique racing opportunity. Club of Great Britain at R.S. Peter Augusciak ‘15 The team departs on the eve- Hispaniola Bar & Restaurant. Chris Knapp ‘16 ning of June 23rd, allowing for Details regarding this event can Jake Liguori ‘17 a few days to acclimate before be found here. racing begins. The varsity eight will be in the Temple Cup All members of the travel party Prince Albert Cup while the top four guys from are very excited for this event (c) Yooni Kim ‘15 the second varsity eight will be and cannot wait to make the David Danko ‘15 in the Prince Albert Cup. The trip. With the exception of one Jeremy Stroming ‘18 eight will probably not have to rower, none of the athletes has Jesus Mathus ‘17 go through the qualifying race, experienced Henley. As those Berk Ozturk ‘16

Fall Race Schedule Head of the Charles (All Squads) October 17-18 Boston, MA Princeton Chase (Heavy Men, Open Women) November 1 Princeton, NJ Dartmouth Green Monster (All Squads - Novice Only) November 7 Hanover, NH Foot of the Charles (Heavy Men, Open Women, Light Women) November 14 Boston, MA Spring Racing days before our first race, a day also rounded into form at this race, Open Women that included icy twenty-five mile defeating Georgetown, among oth- by Holly Metcalf per hour headwinds that ultimately ers. All of this set the stage for the caused officials to cancel all racing grand finals performances by all This spring was one that would after an eleven minute varsity fours boats at the Patriot League Cham- have challenged the most sea- event. It wasn’t until the George pionships. soned of teams. It began with the Washington Invitational that we long winter that froze the Charles were able to see how our fitness In the end, the competitiveness River through spring break, but we level, honed over a long indoor of the program may very well be soon learned that this was just the season, played out on the water. measured by the crews we didn’t beginning of a series of obstacles. We were pleasantly surprised: the beat. For instance, after losing to Injuries, sickness, family crisis, and varsity eight finished 2.9 seconds by nearly eigh- campus tragedies abounded. Yet off of the eventual Patriot League teen seconds at the 2013 Beanpot, the team responded by becoming Champion and NCAA qualifier- we closed within 2.8 seconds of stronger, more resilient, and more Navy. the scholarship-rich powerhouse on cohesive, and in the end the open- our last spring day of 2015. With weight women saw the grand finals The final third of the season re- eight formidable rowers and an out- in all three events at the Patriot vealed the upward trajectory of standing coxswain enlisted to lead League Championship for the third our team, with the second varsity our incoming freshman class for year in a row. eight defeating Holy Cross and this coming fall, along with a core the varsity eight defeating Rutgers of key returning varsity members, The season started slow, with our at the , avenging the squad is in a prime position to crews getting on the water just mid-season losses. The varsity four finish what they started. Spring Racing Alumni Cup race against Colum- emerge, thirty seconds later, with a Heavy Men bia, Dartmouth and Holy Cross. multi-length lead. Still, Tech closed by Tony Kilbridge All four crews were suffering from the gap significantly over past years a serious lack of water time, but against these top crews (Prince- Our spring campaign began in the the show went on, with Dartmouth ton went on to finish third behind depths of a cold and seemingly winning, followed by Columbia, Washington and Cal at IRA). endless winter. Eight feet of snow Holy Cross and MIT. The Holy covered Cambridge, and 18 inches Cross versus MIT race was a On April 25 the Tech heavies raced of ice locked up the Charles. When barn-burner, with the Crusaders Bates and Delaware on the Charles. the ice persisted late into March, nipping Tech by about six inches. Even though they had lost their the heavyweight men executed an bow man to injury, the Tech varsity emergency evacuation to Cocoa The following weekend the Dona- was perhaps overconfident, and Beach, Florida for spring break. hue Cup was moved from Worces- was beaten by a surprisingly quick Our budget would feel the brunt of ter to Cambridge, as Lake Quinsig- Bates crew. This was a hard lesson, this unanticipated trip later, but at amond remained frozen. Despite which the coaches and athletes the time it was heaven. The rowers horrendous wind and water, and a hoped to learn from. put on sunglasses, took off their crab at the 1000-meter mark, MIT’s shirts and smiled (for the most varsity boat beat Williams and WPI For our final regular season races, part) through round after round of decisively, to win the cup for the the crew traveled to Devil’s Lake seat racing among the dolphins and first time since 2009. State Park, in Baraboo, Wiscon- warm breezes. sin, a beautiful site in the exact Next up was the Compton Cup, center of nowhere. In the first race We returned to find the Charles still against Princeton and Harvard, at of the day, once again in frozen, and had to cancel our first Princeton. Tech’s varsity started high winds, Tech beat EARC rival race, against and well, and was within a length of Georgetown, quickly and deci- UMass. The last ice was cleared Harvard at the 800 meter mark, at sively. Tech had open water on the from the racecourse on Friday af- which point Harvard and Princeton Hoyas one minute into the race, ternoon, April 3, the day before our seemed to enter a worm hole and and finished six seconds ahead.

An iced-over Charles River Race Course on March 30, 2015 Spring Racing .097 seconds ahead. Based on this Mercer County Park, New Jersey, Heavy Men finish, GW’s eight was invited to over three days. The 24 crews in Continued from p. 5 the IRA championships, and MIT’s the varsity 4 event were sorted was not. While it was tough to fall through heats, reps, semis and Several hours later, Tech raced short of a team goal by less than a finals. Four races in three days again, this time against Wisconsin tenth of a second, the team re- under the hot sun took their toll on for the Cochrane Cup. MIT had grouped and the coaches selected a all the crews, and the Tech rowers trouble getting pointed in 25 mph varsity 4 for IRA. were noticeably tired by the end of wind gusts, and got off to a bad the weekend. Nonetheless, the crew start. Nonetheless, Wisco had better Our preparation time between finished fourth in the petite final, speed all the way down the course, Sprints and IRA was short, es- well within the top half of entrants. and won by ten seconds. pecially since it included finals Four seniors graduated from the Two weeks later the Eastern Sprints week. Nonetheless, the varsity 4, heavyweight team this year. While at Lake Quinsigamond brought – comprising Alex Feldstein (cox), they will be missed, the team has a finally! – calm, warm conditions. Connor McMahan (4), Matt Con- strong group of rising seniors and MIT’s varsity heavies raced well in nelly (3), Clay Jones (2) and Matt sophomores, and is looking for- both their heat and in the third-lev- Miklasevich (bow), was confident ward to the arrival of nine recruited el final. In the final, Tech finished and moved well in practice. The athletes in the fall. All in all, this fourth, in a time of 5:49.135. IRA Championship was a great year was another step forward for George Washington was third, competition and spectacle, held at MIT’s heavyweight men. Spring Racing full 2K. speed and trying to fit a lot of Light Women preparation work in to a very short By Claire Martin-Doyle And it finally happened, the ice time. We kept the focus on getting cleared and we raced 2,000 meters better and faster every opportunity The lightweight women kicked on April 4 versus DIII openweight we had to practice, and as we got off the spring 2015 campaign at opponents Bates and Simmons. in to our final lineups and prepared the San Diego Crew Classic with- Losing to a very-fast (and later for Dad Vail, the focus of the team out having taken one stroke on NCAA championship winning was palpable. the water prior to arriving in San crew) Bates, but beating Simmons, Diego. Needless to say, it was not we kicked off home racing, and Just five weeks after taking our first the fastest of races. Looking ahead really, home rowing of any kind. strokes on the water, we set off for to a packed spring schedule with The Dad Vail Regatta which shaped races every weekend, things did Over the next three weeks, we up to be a remarkable weekend not look optimistic as we returned raced the top crews in the country, for our team. A repeat gold in home still not able to get on the multiple times between Knecht the eight and a bronze in the four, water. A full two days before our Cup, the Lightweight Invite, Muri made it the best overall Dad Vail first home race, we were actually Cup and Beanpot. Our results performance as a team in our his- taking strokes in the lower Basin weren’t stellar and our very short tory. and waiting patiently for the upper weeks of practice were busy with basin to clear in hopes of racing a crew selection, getting up to race The varsity eight repeated their 2014 gold-medal performance with another upset victory in this year. Like Bucknell was last year, Villa- nova was heavily favored coming in to the race, previously defeating us by large margins at both Crew Classic and Knecht Cup. Our Engineers, however, were ready to perform and had gained a lot of speed in previous two-weeks of training. In the end, we crossed the finish line three seconds ahead of Villanova for the gold. Here’s a recap from Row2K of the race,

“Lightweight Eights” The Women’s Lightweight Eight was won by a poised MIT crew who had lost to Villanova previ- ously this spring. “We knew it was going to be a very challenging race but they have been in big races before,” says Coach Claire Mar- tin-Doyle. “We haven’t had a great season so far, it took a while to get things together.”

Martin-Doyle said the weather in Spring Racing for the final, but went in to the final with the four advancing directly Light Women with only the 5th fastest time in the from the heat to the grand final, the Continued from p. 7 event. It was going to be tough to first time we’ve had a crew in the get on to the podium. The crew grand final of this event. Eventually Boston this spring has been a chal- had an outstanding performance coming in sixth in the grand was lenge, but the crew had been build- in the final and raced to a bronze disappointing, but just getting there ing despite that. “I knew we were medal, in a very close battle with was a big step. going faster, but you never know the first and second place crews. how until a race. We had a pretty Getting on the podium in the four The eight didn’t quite have the simple race plan, but they did race was a first for our program and a speed to advance to the grand final at a higher rate than normal, they great achievement as many of our and raced in the petite final, dis- just had to hold onto it.” Villanova, competitors prioritize this event appointingly on the wrong side of stroked by the silver-medal win- with their top four rowers. Villanova this time, but in a very ning single sculler Woodhull, was tight and exciting race. However, sullen on the dock after being out All in all, it was a thrilling after- with true MIT tenacity, and looking paced. Coach Jack St. Clair gave a noon and a great feeling to see so ahead to next year, the words of quick pep talk on the awards dock, many of our rowers with medals our varsity eight stroke seat sum it but the race was a fresh memory.” around their necks! up, “disappointment just motivates you to work harder”. And, it’s on In the lightweight four, our crew Three weeks later, at IRA, our team to next year! GO TECH! came in 2nd in their heat to qualify had another historic performance, Spring Racing Light Men by Will Oliver

The beginning of the spring season was quite an adventure in the Bos- ton area, with record snowfalls and ice levels on the river. With the lat- est ice-out in recorded history (as provided by our friends at the MIT Sailing Pavilion), the lightweight men did not start their spring sea- son until Wednesday, April 1. We were able to travel to Yale for a few days during our spring break week, which offered some valuable water time and helped prepare us for our first race, which was the Joy Cup.

MIT faced off against Yale and Georgetown in Derby, CT for this traditional early-season race. Ev- erything seemed up for grabs; with no racing to look at to gauge speed, the team had to rely on its fitness (good, thanks to a long winter season) and experience (also good, with 5 seniors and 3 juniors mak- ing up the bulk of the varsity 8), rather than water time, to get them through the race. Yale charged our to an early length lead, but MIT rough conditions. With a con- had moved back into Harvard held on, rowing a gutsy race and sistent 15mph headwind in the and established a solid lead on moving back into Yale beginning Basin and gusts of nearly 30mph, Dartmouth. The rest of the race in the 3rd 500. In the final 300m of conditions were far from ideal featured the MIT and Harvard the race, Tech charged forward, but for lightweight rowers. Despite crews jockeying for position, each unfortunately they ran out of room the conditions, the race went off moving and being reeled back in in just before overtaking Yale. The fairly cleanly, with MIT jumping turn, while moving steadily away final margin was less than a seat, out to a very early lead and then from Dartmouth. In the final 500, with the Engineers trailing by 0.4 settling early. Dartmouth and however, Harvard managed to get seconds and finishing in a time of Harvard moved up following the their bow out and then Engineers 5:34 and completing a clean sweep MIT settle, taking advantage of couldn’t quite respond. The final of the Georgetown crews, beat- their much higher stroke rate and margin was about a bow deck, with ing the Hoyas in the 1, 2, and 3V both boats moved ahead. The MIT Harvard finishing in 6:47.4 and events. rowers were not daunted though, MIT coming in at 6:48.4. Dart- and began to move back into their mouth came in at 7:02.1. The following weekend the Biglin challengers as they came down to Bowl went off in extremely windy, their base rate. By the 500 they The following weekend, the team Spring Racing final (less than .1 seconds) to finish Light Men On April 25, the Engineers took 7th overall, and the 3V finished Continued from p. 9 on Cornell and Columbia for the 9th, ahead of Georgetown, in an Geiger Cup. Ranked #1 and #2 in extremely strong field. All in all, traveled to for a pair the country respectively, the team the team was quite pleased with of races versus Delaware and Penn. knew these two crews would not their performances. Both crews had previously post- be pushovers and were hopeful ed some impressive race results, just to be in the mix, as these two Two weeks later at IRA, MIT so we knew that racing would be teams had been crushing their fielded a 1V and a 2V4+. Unfortu- fierce. The first race of the day was competition all season. And in that nately, a reconstituted Penn lineup against the Delaware Blue Hens. sense, the race was very successful. gave the 1V some trouble in the Their early season victories over Cornell was extremely fast off of heats, and the Engineers advanced Harvard, Dartmouth and George- the line and got a small lead on the to the petite final instead of the town made them a very intimi- field right away. Likewise, Colum- grand that they had hoped for. dating opponent, but MIT was bia moved out to a half-length lead They crew came back strong in the not to be cowed. Off the starting early in the first 1/4 of the race. afternoon against Navy, however, blocks, the Engineers began to From there, it was quite a race for to win the petite final in a com- move steadily, and continued to do the Engineers, who took moves manding fashion. In the 2V4+, the so throughout the race. While the and traded seats with Columbia Engineers rowed behind through final margins were not immense throughout most of the race. In most of their heat before rowing with MIT finishing roughly 4 the last 300m, however, the Lions back into the field to finish 4th. It seconds ahead, on the race course got away, ultimately opening up a was an exciting race, and in the it was obvious that the Engineers 6 second margin by the finish line. petite final they stayed in the thick won during each stage of the race, Cornell, ahead the whole race, fin- of the action throughout, before moving steadily ahead during each ished 4 seconds up on them. While outlasting all but the Wisconsin 500 meters and underrating their not quite as close as we might have crew to capture 8th place overall. opponents most of the way. hoped, the MIT 1V had some very Both of these places were one spot solid moments throughout the race. higher than the team’s performance In the second race of the day, MIT last year, and the 1V’s finish in the raced the . We’ve On May 8 and 9, the team travelled lightweight eight event was the had a number of good races with to Philadelphia to race the Dad Vail best placing since 1997 (the young- Penn over the last few years, and Championship, and coverage of est member of the current crew was this race was no exception. During that race appears in another article 1 year old!). the afternoon, MIT rowed an in this newsletter. incredibly controlled race. Un- All in all, it was an extremely der-rating Penn by nearly four At EARC Sprints, the squad per- successful and competitive spring beats, the Engineers maintained a formed well in a number of close season. The team is still training, slight lead through the first 1000 races. In the morning, the 1V preparing for its trip to the Henley meters of the race. Their patience advanced to the grand final for the Royal Regatta, which is mentioned paid off in the final 800 meters second straight year, while both the elsewhere in this newsletter. Look- when they began moving ahead 2 and 3V placed into the petite fi- ing forward to next season, we will quickly, continuing to open a wider nal. In the afternoon, the 1V rowed have some definite challenges, as and wider lead until the finish, a strong grand final, but the compe- we are graduating seven seniors posting a final margin of nearly 7 tition, which is always tough, was and the majority of our varsity 8 seconds. The victory was made a bit too much, and they finished in from this season, but hopes are even sweeter by a pair of 2 and 3V 6th place, 10sec behind the leader. high. We look forward to seeing wins, making the afternoon a clean The 2V won an extremely close all of our supporters at the races in sweep! race with Dartmouth in the petite the fall! Dad Vail Regatta heavyweight crews from Marist, of a medal. The crew raced hard and Dad Vail Regatta SUNY Maritime, and Emory to felt the performance was one of their by Amelia Patton earn an early morning race in the strongest, but ultimately could not next day’s semi final. In the semi, match the speed needed to take home the all-novice lineup charged hard hardware. The engineers made their way to through the last 500m, finishing 4th to Philadelphia Mother’s Day weekend miss the final by 5 seconds. It was a The men’s lightweight 8 faced a for the annual Dad Vail Regatta on the promising end to a strong novice sea- final-only racing situation on Saturday Schuylkill. Representing MIT were son, and we expect to see big things afternoon, lining up against Delaware, a men’s heavyweight 4, men’s light- from these athletes as they move onto Mercyhurst, Georgia Tech, Purdue, weight 8 and lightweight 4, a women’s the varsity squad. and Pittsburgh. From the stakeboats, lightweight 8 and 4, and a women’s Delaware and MIT dropped the field, varsity 4 and freshman 4, both popu- The women’s lightweight 4 was pushing hard and stroking high. lated with lightweight athletes. tasked with beating just one boat to Reversing an earlier-season result, advance into their grand final, and Delaware was able to squeeze out a Facing a field of over 60 entries, the though they did one better to finish 0.7 second win, leaving MIT with the heavyweight men’s 4 event kicked ahead of Georgia Tech and Florida, silver. Mercyhurst finished in third, off the regatta, and MIT stepped up they did so with only the fifth-fastest over 13 seconds back. to win their heat to advance to the qualifying time. Determined to earn a quarterfinals. Ultimately, the field spot on the podium, the crew cleaned proved too deep, and the boat failed to up the bladework and redoubled their The women’s lightweight 8 faced a advance into the semi. efforts in Saturday’s final to grab the three-boat field that included both Pur- bronze behind Penn State and Buck- due, an unknown crew, and Villanova, The women’s varsity four, comprised nell. This medal is the first-ever podi- a crew to which MIT had lost by first of rowers from Tech’s lightweight um finish for MIT in the lightweight 24, 21, 15 then 12 seconds earlier this second varsity, lined up against 4, and with all 5 members of the crew season. Determined to end Villanova’s openweight competitors in their heat. returning for next season, we have 2015 run, MIT charged hard off the The crew, with a lineup unchanged high hopes to improve our standing in line and never looked back. Setting from the 2014 Dad Vail event, showed 2016. the highest rate of their season, the considerable improvement from the eight charged to a 3-second victory previous year to finish just 6 seconds The men’s lightweight 4 saw the top over a surprised wildcat crew to claim away from a qualifying spot. This of MIT’s second varsity 8 take to the their second consecutive gold in the race marks the final collegiate race for water against top 4s from competitor event. Purdue finished third, 29 sec- seniors Zoe Steier and Carol Liu – a schools. The crew kicked off their onds back. bittersweet end to two fantastic four- racing with a second place finish in year careers. the heat, then another second place Coming home with medals in every finish in the semi-final, just 0.4 sec- color, we were pleased with the quali- The women’s freshman four also onds ahead of Michigan. The final saw ty of racing overall, but determined as faced a competitive field of 36 boats, Michigan reverse that margin, pushing always to gain speed and take down and surprised everyone to take down the engineers into 4th, painfully shy new opponents!

Save the Date Please make your plans now to join us for MIT Crew Alumni Day 2015!

When: October 3, 2015 What: AM - Alumni boat races and brunch at Pierce Boathouse PM - Alumni Banquet

More information to follow! Coaching Staff Head Coach, Heavyweight Men Tony Kilbridge Assistant Coach, Heavyweight, Men Evan Thews-Wassell Head Coach, Lightweight Men Will Oliver Assistant Coach, Lightweight Men Jeff Forrester Head Coach, Openweight Women Holly Metcalf Assistant Coach, Openweight Women Previn Chandraratna Head Coach, Lightweight Women Claire Martin-Doyle Assistant Coach, Lightweight Women Amelia Patton

Photos by Igor Belakovskiy & MIT Coaching Staff Edited by Will Oliver