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 Henley Royal Regatta 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 Boston University 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 Eastern Sprints, 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.