December 2008 The Official Newsletter of Capital Rowing Club QUICK CATCH! Community Rowing in the Nation’s Capital Vol. 1, Issue 6 www.capitalrowing.org 2008 Head Race Season in Review Photo: Peter Courtney BY SAMEERA HASAN, Competitive Women’s and Sculling programs Many of Capital’s rowing programs had their time to shine during the 2008 fall racing sea- son. The entry rules for the fall regattas vary across the venues, and in many events colle- giate crews can and do compete in Club events. Having entered so many boats in so many races this past fall, for sake of brevity this summary only includes 1st through 3rd place finishes. In the first race of head season, the Head of relatively calm waters and not much wind. As the Anacostia, Capital fielded boats from ev- a result, crews from all over the Mid-Atlantic ery program and had some local competition region arrived with their game faces on. The from our cross-town rivals (used in the friend- Occoquan Challenge is a buoyed course with liest sense of the word), Alexandria Commu- a remarkable U-turn midway into the race. nity Rowing (ACR). Capital’s sweep and sculling programs both Photo: Brett Rini The following day, Potomac Boat Club cleaned up at the Challenge this year. Abigail (PBC) hosted crews on the “other” river here in Constantino placed 2nd in the Womens Novice Washington, DC, for the Charlie Butts’ Scullers 1x race and Phyllis Soller took 3rd in the Wom- Head of the Potomac (SHOP). Crews from PBC ens Veterans 1x event. The Competitive Men and ACR clubs as well as Georgetown, Lehigh, took 1st in both the Masters 8+ and 4+ events. American and University of Maryland compet- Club AM took 2nd in the Mens Masters 4+ race ed. Out of Capital’s many entries, scullers Mi- and 3rd in the Womens Club 4+ race. Capital’s chelle Fryc and Phyllis Soller took 1st and 2nd Comp Women placed 1st in each of the Club place in the Womens Masters 1x and Veterans 8+, Masters 4+, and Masters 4x events. 1x races, respectively. In the Club 4+ race, the Capital’s crews showed up the next week- Competitive Women’s team finished 2nd, and end at the Occoquan Chase ready to continue took 3rd in the Masters 8+. Club AM took 2nd our reign of the Occoquan. Capital scullers place in the Mixed 8+ race to wrap up the Michelle Fryc and Phyllis Soller each placed beautiful sunny day on the Potomac. 1st in the Womens Masters 1x (30+) and (60+) Next stop in the fall was Pittsburgh, PA, events, respectively, and Duncan Spencer for the Head of the Ohio regatta. Only a few placed 3rd in the Mens Masters 1x (60+) race. hearty soldiers chose to truck out to the Steel Capital’s Comp Men and Women took home City for this regatta, but of those who went, 1st place in each of the following Masters the Comp Women finished 3rd in the Masters events: Mens 4+ (30+), Mens 4+ (40+), Wom- 4+ and the Comp Men finished 1st in their ens 8+ (30+), and Womens 4+ (30+). Masters 4+ race. After ruling the Occoquan for two weeks The following two races were held at San- straight, selected rowers from Capital’s sweep Club AM rowers Chris Bender and Scott Remley (top) and Club AM representative Mike FitzPatrick dy Run Regional Park in Lorton, VA, on the Oc- and sculling programs went on to compete on the water during CRC’s Head of the Anacostia on coquan Reservoir. The Occoquan usually has in the Head of the Charles regatta in Boston, Sept. 20. Capital Rowing Club: Located at 1115 O Street, SE • Washington, DC 20005 Member, Anacostia Community Boathouse Association (ACBA) Quick Catch! Staff: Sameera Hasan, Editor Rachel Freedman, Graphic Designer Photos: Peter Courtney Clockwise from top left: Comp Women’s 8+ on the row up to the starting line at SHOP. Comp Men’s program member Brett Rini helps move a shell off the Capital trailer at Head of the Oc- coquan. A Club AM Women’s 4+ smiles for the camera at SHOP. Comp Men’s 4+ breezes past the northern Virginia foliage at Head of the Occoquan. MA. This is one of the most competitive row- 2006 and 2007, this year’s Head of the Schuylkill in the Womens Novice 1x event. In the sweep ing regattas in the world, with crews from as regatta became a two-day event with youth/ races, Capital’s Comp Women took 1st place far away as Pakistan, the Netherlands, and the junior, collegiate and club events on Saturday, in the Masters 8+ (30-39), 2nd place in the United Kingdom. Several Beijing Olympians and Masters events on Sunday. High gusting Masters 4+ (30-39), and 3rd place in the Club from the U.S. and abroad competed in the winds, pelting rain, and a strong current made 8+. The Comp Men placed 1st in each of the various events during the 2-day race week- for near ocean-like conditions on the Schuylkill Masters 4+ and 8+ events. end. Capital fared relatively well, considering River. On Sunday, however, rowers enjoyed Although Capital faced some stiff com- the high level of competition, retaining its two much better weather and the Comp Women petition from other rowing clubs such as guaranteed entries in the Mens 4+ event and placed 3rd in the Masters 8+ race. ACR, PBC and BRC, and from colleges such as having several scullers complete the 1x race. At the final race of the fall head season, Georgetown, Lehigh, and George Washing- Only two races remained in the fall season Capital crews made one last trip to the Occo- ton, competitors across all sweep and sculling after the Charles – Head of the Schuylkill in quan. In the sculling events, Amanda Schref- programs raced hard and had an extremely Philadelphia, PA, and Head of the Occoquan in fler placed 3rd in the Womens Championship productive fall racing season. VA. After being canceled due to bad weather in 1x race and Abigail Constantino placed 2nd Let’s make 2009 even better – GO CAPITAL! CRC’s End of the Season Photos: Peter Courtney Party (EOSP) is the place to be every November. From left to right: Michael Brown and Windy Shepard; Christina Erling and Michelle Fryc; Mandy Sims and friend; Jim Smailes. 2 Human Capital A Community Club Supports Its Own BY Brett RINI, Competitive Mens program & Matt Bruno On July 28, 2008, Nick Bartick, a Capital Rowing Club member since 2005 and husband of Claire (Stackhouse) Bartick (a former Competitive program coxswain), was involved in a serious accident at work. He was in a cherry picker when he was thrown out of it and landed on his head. Nick was rushed to the Prince George’s County Hospital where he was treated for a traumatic brain injury among other injuries in the Intensive Care Unit. After a week, he was transferred to Baltimore Shock Trauma where he continued to be treated. While an injury of this magnitude is never ate parts of the house. What was even more welcome, the timing of this accident was es- remarkable was that several of the rowers pecially inopportune. Four days after the in- “slash” movers were not acquainted with Nick jury, Nick and Claire were expected to move or Claire personally, but shared a common from Leesburg, VA to Alexandria, because bond of rowing for Capital and hence came their lease was ending. In addition to the out to show their support. The moving crew move, Claire was merely two days away from was an all-volunteer effort and consisted en- finishing up her internship in Winchester for tirely of Capital’s Competitive Men and Wom- her Doctor of Psychology degree. With Nick en, Club AM and PM members, CRC coaches; incapacitated and Claire at the hospital 24/7, individuals from the local high school rowing someone had to step in to help out. community (in which Claire used to coach); As soon as friends and family heard about and additional friends and family. the accident, several Capital members sprang Faster than most doctors expected, Nick into action. Many CRCers visited Nick in the recovered enough to be transferred from Bal- hospital and brought Claire support, love, timore Shock Trauma, to the National Reha- and sustenance. Then, under the leadership bilitation Center in Washington, DC. There he them with neither the time nor the energy to of some Competitive program members, a received physical, occupational, and speech cook. The home-cooked meals were a huge group of more than 30 volunteers was split therapy for the next three weeks. He was re- help, and the effort continued for over two into four teams with four missions: (1) pack leased from the hospital and able to return months while Nick and Claire readjusted to up the Leesburg apartment, (2) clean the home on September 4. life at home. Leesburg apartment, (3) move into the new After the move, the support from CRC and The amazing support for Nick and Claire townhouse, and (4) move things from Claire’s other friends and family did not stop. Once once again showed the value of “community” parents’ house. Nick came home from the hospital, current in community rowing at Capital. Capital mem- The Barticks’ move from Leesburg to Alex- and former Capital members volunteered to bers and friends are always willing to step up andria was completed in less than four hours! cook meals for the Barticks.