Winter 2015 Squaring the Blade

A Newsletter for MIT Crew Alumni athletes’ morale is excellent, and waterway. In this issue we have Director’s Message most of our rival teams are stuck in descriptions of the trip from two by Tony Kilbridge the same weather. So let’s just say of our lightweight athletes, Mycal that we’re building character. Tucker and Rachel Osmundsen. Dear MIT crew alumni and friends, Moreover, as the coaches, at least, On a brighter note, at the begin- are acutely aware, spring racing Right now MIT students from ning of January we had an excel- will be here before we know it. warmer parts of the world must be lent training trip to Cocoa Beach, Three of our four teams will start wondering what they’ve got them- Florida. The weather was good and racing on the last weekend of selves into. Winter has hit New our crews rowed many miles on the March. Since our lightweight wom- England like the hammer of some complex strands of the intra-coastal en will open at the San Diego Crew Nordic god. Over six feet of snow has fallen in the last thirty days, forcing MIT and the boathouse to close several times. Snow is in the forecast for five of the next sev- en days. The temperature hasn’t reached freezing in weeks. God knows how thick the ice is on the Charles. Those of us who grew up here aren’t supposed to complain, since we “love all four seasons,” but enough is enough.

So, what is there to say about win- ter training, except that getting to the boathouse has been the hardest part? Ergs, ergs and more ergs; all outdoor alternatives, like stadia and running, are out of the question. The erg scores have been good, the Florida Training This severe weather has really scope of the challenge by attaching Director’s Message brought home the deteriorating cost estimates to several options. Continued from p. 1 condition of our beloved, but old, We have already received some undersized and un-insulated boat- major pledges from alums toward Classic, Tech crew will be in action house. As many of you know, the this project. We will be sharing before April even if the Charles replacement or upgrade of Pierce more details with you as soon as hasn’t melted, heaven forbid. From Boathouse has been moved to the we have them. the cusp of winter, MIT crews will front burner, and many people have race until the first weekend of July, been working to make it happen. In closing, I would ask that you as our lightweight men will be This project will be a major chal- continue your outstanding support competing at the Henley Royal Re- lenge in many ways, but especially of our team by attending races and gatta. Complete spring race sched- financially. Within the next few by helping us meet the major finan- ules for our teams are included in weeks we should have a feasibility cial challenges that we face. Thank this issue. study in hand, which will define the you, and Go Tech!

Contents Director’s Message 1 Staff Spotlight 6-7

Florida Training 2-4 Spring Preview 8-11

Rower Spotlight 5 Spring Schedule 8-11

We also introduced a new training Florida Training technique of extremely brief but by Mycal Tucker, ‘15 intense workouts on the erg before our actual practice on the water “In the midst of winter, I find began. within me the invisible summer…” But what did we do when we did So proclaims Tolstoy in The King- not row? What didn’t we do? dom of God Is within You, and so This year, the seniors on the light- proclaim the men and women on weight men’s team each bought MIT’s crew teams. This year we walkie-talkies with ranges of up to once again fled the cold of Boston three miles. Van rides to practice and descended on the balmy shores were suddenly filled with the smell of Cocoa Beach, Sykes Creek, and of sunscreen, the glare of the noon Kiwanis Park for ten brief days. sun, and yes, the static crackle of a Did we row? Oh yes. On most radio declaring that “Tipsy Alba- days, each team launched twice, tross” and “Begrudging Panda”, once in the morning and once in code names for two of the seniors, the afternoon. The lightweight men were planning on running back ventured forth on their “Marathon after practice. Row,” a perennial favorite involv- Back at the hotel, the fun contin- ing 21 miles of followed ued. One night, we stormed Slow by a 5 mile run back to the hotel. ‘n’ Low, a barbeque place just Florida Training Normally, maintaining such a not focus on our practices. Whether Florida Training furious pace of rowing and revel- in sunny Florida or snowy Boston, Continued from p. 2 ry would burn people out, but not our team is constantly pushing us. On our day off, we purchased itself in scheduled and voluntary down the road from the hotel. The inflatable rafts for a rollicking day training. Just wait until spring and food was delicious, if not condu- on the beach. (Inflating the rafts summer start melting the Charles, cive to a lightweight diet. More became a workout of its own with and I am confident that you will see importantly, the balloon-toting en- one of the seniors, Tom Altmann, what everyone on our team already tertainer kept us amused for hours demonstrating incredible lung knows – no matter how cold the with balloon monkeys, cartoon capacity that put the rest of us to day, how hungry the rower, or how characters, and dragons. After din- shame.) As some rowers marauded difficult the workout, our team ner, we visited Ice Cream Junction, on the open seas, others stayed on constantly lives in our invisible a karaoke-ice-cream-supermarket, land for countless games of “Top summer of crew. and belted “Piano Man” into the Gun”-themed volleyball. microphone. All this fun is not to say that we did

Now in its fifth year of operation, the MIT Youth Rowing Camp offers a choice of three one-week day camps for high-school-age rowers, emphasizing skills. Teaching methods will include on-the-water coaching, video review, and tank demonstrations, with a high coach-to-athlete ratio to ensure that all campers receive lots of individual attention. Session One: June 15 - June 19 Session Two: June 22 - June 26 Session Three: July 6 - July 10 Anyone interested in the program should visit http://www.mitathletics.com/sports/m-crew/CrewCamp2014 for more information. Florida Training we form on this trip help carry us All the teams practice twice a day, Florida Training through intense spring racing. usually around 7am and 2pm. by Rachel Osmundsen, ‘17 Without the constraints of class- Rowing in Florida is a magical ex- es and homework, we are able to While it may be (literally) freezing perience. You are guaranteed to see spend as much time on the water here in Boston, MIT Crew got to pelicans diving for fish, and, if you as we need to, allowing for much spend a sunny ten days in Florida at row well enough, dolphins will ap- longer and productive practices. the beginning of January during the pear. We always hope for a glimpse From nit-picky triple pauses to seat Institute’s Independent Activities of a manatee, but have so far been racing, we get it all in. With long Period (IAP). We stayed in Cocoa unsuccessful except when we made rows we get to explore every bend Beach and rowed out of Kiwanis the voyage to Blue Spring State of Sykes Creek, and some teams Island Park. Each year, this trip is Park on our day off. The day off is even take a day for a marathon a great opportunity to focus solely a great opportunity for the teams to row. Practice is often followed by a on rowing without the pressures of get to know each other, and typi- run back to the hotel from the site, classes and MIT. Everyone makes cal activities include going to the about 5 miles of straight road. All great technical improvements that movies, reading on the beach, and this hard work really pays off when are impossible to obtain on the going out to dinner. This year, the the river finally thaws and we jump erg, and, with two practices a day, Coaches Patton and Thews-Wassell right back into racing in the spring. fitness is bound to improve. Per- helped inter-team bonding along As a member of MIT Crew, I am haps equally important, however, is as social chairs. Most notably, they so grateful to get the opportunity to the time spent with our teammates. organized a dessert bake off, which go on this trip. And when snow is This is when new members of the included many creative entries, no- falling past the window as we erg team really become integrated; tably truffles shaped like a sculler! inside, I can think back on those I remember my first Florida trip sunny days and smile. as when I truly became close to The Florida trip is an amazing va- everyone on the team. The bonds cation, but it is also a lot of work. Rower Spotlight medalling. Veronica Toro 2014 was a year to remember. Toro by Previn Chandraratna gained her first race experience at What’s next for Veronica? “The the Pan Am qualifiers in Mexico racing calendar is packed, but I Now a solid member of the varsi- City. “I missed the cut,” she said, have communicated that I am firm- ty eight for the MIT openweight “but I regarded it as a triumph. ly committed to my schoolwork women, Veronica Toro took her I was laughing with joy when I and team at MIT. I’ll be shooting first sculling strokes after walking finished, knowing that I was even for more international racing in on to the lightweight squad in the close to former Olympians.” In August, and perhaps Olympic trials Fall of 2011. By the summer of August, Veronica made her national in the distant future.” The junior 2013, she was firmly entrenched team debut, racing the single scull pre-med student has relished every in the Puerto Rican developmental at the Senior World Championships moment of the process and learned system. The early moments were in Amsterdam. With these experi- a valuable lesson: “All of this has rough, she recalls, talking about ences in hand, her best race came affirmed that what you put in, you one of her first practice races: at the Central American Champi- get out of it.” “They said ‘Attention! Go!’ I onships in November, where she flipped instantly.” finished fourth, within a length of

Veronica Toro (near) earning her international stripes. Staff Spotlight insight into who they are, allowing in New England, Atlantic Coast, Boatmen - Behind a glimpse into their background National, and North American and their appreciation for the sport Championships. Additionally, John the Scenes of rowing. is an umpire for sailing all over the by Jeff Forrester US and EU. John Pratt has been with MIT Pierce Boathouse, like most boat- Crew for 20 years and is a native John said that his favorite experi- houses in our league, requires a lot New Englander, having attended ences with MIT Crew were (in no of moving parts to allow it to run to BC High and particular order): standing on the its maximum. A physical building, for his education. He got his start shores of the docks, shells, locker rooms, ergs, building boats in high school when watching the crew row their hearts and oars as well as a coaching staff he took over his parent’s garage out to beat a bigger and more ex- to instruct and train all the row- to construct a racing sailboat. He perienced British crew; watching, ers. However, one member that is was hooked and has built both along with some alums, the Open- often overlooked but is an integral rowing shells and sailboats that weight Women row through crews part of the process is the boatman. have competed and won medals to medal at the Patriot League The job entails a working knowl- at the World Championships and Championships; watching the edge of rigging, boat repair, boat Olympic Games. After 48 years, Lightweight Men the first time they maintenance, and a huge amount he continues to compete weekly won the Dad Vail; and watching of patience. MIT is lucky enough in sailing races (weather permit- the Lightweight Women win the to have two such men, John Pratt ting) after a competitive career that Dad Vail. John says it is the ath- and Dan Baker. Both were kind included racing at multiple World letes that make the job the most fun enough to provide a little bit of Championships as well as victories because he gets to see the crews

John Pratt Staff Spotlight sweep both eights at the Dad Vail Boatmen He began rowing as a junior for last year is what he cites as an Continued from p. 6 Dennis-Yarmouth Regional HS example of the teams at their best. but had to stop competing due to Dan notes that, after meeting the display their tenacity and determi- a back injury. This, however, just coaching staff, the rowing world nation, which makes him proud to allowed him to switch to marathons proved once again how small it ac- be a part of the crew. and triathlons. This turned out to tually is. Coaches Thews-Wassell, Dan Baker joined MIT Crew much be a good fit, as he has competed Forrester, and Patton had all been more recently, having just cele- at the Ironman World Champion- members of Riverside Boat Club at brated his two-year anniversary ships in Hawaii and the Boston the same time as Dan’s brother. It with the team. His experience in Marathon. These days, though, he seems only fitting that he eventual- the field, though, stretches back tends to compete at a more low-key ly joined our staff. 20 years when he began helping level, joining the ranks of those of a family friend’s company on the us who remember the good ol’ days The role these gentlemen play isn’t Cape refurbish wooden sailboats. as fond memories. only measured in miles driven, oars This eventually morphed into finer painted, or boats repaired but in the woodworking and construction. He Dan’s favorite experiences also fun they have with the athletes and was recommended by Tom Tiffany, tie directly into the athletes in the coaches as well as the help they a common friend of his and Coach boathouse, noting his interaction offer in making the experience here Kilbridge, for the opening here and with the rowers as the best part of one of a kind. he was hired shortly after. the job. Watching the Lightweights

Dan Baker Spring Preview now and mid-March we expect to Cornell, Columbia, and Penn on Light Men see fitness and speed gains that will the schedule, not to mention the by Will Oliver push us beyond what our competi- in tors can match. in early May, the squad will see The MIT lightweight men took nearly all of its Sprints competi- several lessons away from the And the team will need it; the tion before Worcester on May 17, fall season, the most important of season ahead will be very competi- and ultimately that will only be the which was the necessity of good tive. Beginning with a race against beginning. With the IRA Cham- preparation. While the fall season ’s heavyweights on pionship and Henley Royal on the yielded some promising results, it March 29, nearly every weekend horizon, the squad knows that it wasn’t all that the team hoped for. will require championship caliber will need to set the tone of success While narrowing the gap between racing. With Yale, Harvard, Dart- early and maintain into July. We themselves and the lead crews at mouth, Georgetown, Delaware, hope to see you there! the Head of the Charles, the team placed lower than in previous seasons, underscoring the compet- itiveness that embodies the EARC. Subsequently, Florida and winter training have become a continuous effort to ensure that no potential goes unrealized in the spring sea- son.

With a strong senior class setting the tone, the team has seen marked improvement over the course of the last two months. All of that train- ing, however, has just set the squad up for the coming month. Between

Light Men Spring Schedule vs Boston College Home March 29 Joy Cup vs Yale & Georgetown Derby, CT April 4 Biglin Bowl vs Harvard & Dartmouth Home April 11 vs Delaware & Penn Philadelphia, PA April 18 Geiger Cup vs Cornell & Columbia Home April 25 Dad Vail Regatta Philadelphia, PA May 8-9 EARC Sprints Worcester, MA May 17 IRA Regatta West Windsor, NJ May 29-31 Henley Royal Regatta Henley-on-Thames, England July 1-5 Spring Preview Tech contests the seventh annual where both Tech’s light women and Light Women Muri Cup in combination with the men look to repeat their gold medal by Claire Martin-Doyle LW Beanpot against Harvard-Rad- performances in the Varsity Light- cliffe and Boston University. The weight Eights. The team will finish Our opening spring races are team will finish out the regular out the season with Championship bi-coastal this year with the First season with a trip to Dad Vail, racing at Mercer Lake for the IRA. Varsity Eight racing in San Diego at the Crew Classic and the rest of the team racing at home against Boston University. Crew Classic features a deep field, with crews from Stanford, Princeton, BU, and Villanova. Our second weekend of racing, the team lines up against DIII openweights, Simmons and Bates for home racing on the Charles. The team then travels to Mercer Lake for The Knecht Cup, April 11-12, which looks to be a preview of the IRA with many of the top lightweight programs scheduled to compete. The follow- ing weekend, back on the Charles, Tech sees visiting crews from Stan- ford and Wisconsin alongside home rivals Harvard-Radcliffe and Bos- ton University for racing on both Saturday and Sunday. On April 25,

Light Women Spring Schedule San Diego Crew Classic (1V) San Diego, CA March 28-29 vs BU (2V/3V/1N) Home March 28 vs Simmons Home April 4 Knecht Cup West Windsor, NJ April 11-12 vs Wisconsin Home April 18 LW Invite Home April 19 Muri Cup/Beanpot vs BU & Radcliffe Home April 25 Dad Vail Regatta Philadelphia, PA May 8-9 IRA Regatta West Windsor, NJ May 30-31 Spring Preview to this performance was a tough the full cycle of the year to develop Open Women mid-season racing schedule. This peak speed at the Patriot League by Previn Chandraratna year, after completing a produc- Championship, and we have reason tive Florida training trip, we have to believe that this group is ready Metaphorically speaking, it is been putting in the hard miles to be for that kind of trajectory. spring again at MIT. It’s a young ready once again for the spring- a team- as the recruiting buzz has season that holds new challenges taken hold and walk-on develop- including Dartmouth, led by Linda ment has picked up. A full two- Muri ’85, and familiar foes like thirds of the squad’s top twenty Boston College. Our Worcester seats are occupied by the freshman regatta against Rutgers and Holy and sophomore class. The fall Cross offers an additional oppor- months were a great time for these tunity to practice our focus on newer athletes to coalesce into a foreign waters. The George Wash- single stroke and rhythm, and over ington Invitational, where we have the course of that stretch, we closed won eight of nine races in three considerably on the league’s best. years, offers a fabulous opportunity to test our mettle against league Last year’s racing season ended opponents such as Georgetown and with two Patriot League Champi- Navy. onship bronze medals, and all three boats in the Grand finals. What led In all, our approach generally takes

Openweight Women Spring Schedule vs Boston College, UMass & Dartmouth Home April 4 George Washington Invitational Washington, DC April 10-11 vs Holy Cross & Rutgers Worcester, MA April 25 Women’s Cherry Hill, NJ May 3 Patriot League Championship Cherry Hill, NJ May 15 Spring Preview striving to put their mark on the and Wisconsin, we will be racing Heavy Men program. We look forward to rac- some of the top non-EARC schools by Evan Thews-Wassell ing some of the best teams in the in the country. These races will country and performing well at the be against Williams, WPI, Bates, The MIT Heavyweight Men are Eastern Sprints and IRA regattas. UMass, Boston College, and Dela- excited to start their 2015 spring ware. Race dates and locations can campaign. Led by a dedicated The 2015 spring schedule for the be found elsewhere in this issue, group of seniors, the team is cur- heavyweight men will be a compet- and on the MIT Athletics web page. rently pushing hard through winter itive mix of both in league and out We hope to see the MIT Crew training and showing significant of league teams. Along with our family at the races. See you in the improvements. A talented fresh- usual cup races against Columbia, spring! man class is performing well and Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth,

Heavyweight Men Spring Schedule vs Boston College & UMass Home March 28 Alumni Cup vs Columbia, Dartmouth & Holy Cross Home April 4 Donahue Cup vs Williams & WPI Worcester, MA April 11 Compton Cup vs Harvard & Princeton Princeton, NJ April 18 vs Bates & Delaware Home April 25 Cochrane Cup vs Wisconsin Madison, WI May 2 EARC Sprints Worcester, MA May 17 IRA Regatta West Windsor, NJ May 29-31 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 MIT Coaching Staff Edited by Will Oliver