Women's Crews To Row At Henley
June 15, 1999 | Women's Rowing
The Terrier women's crew will close out one of the program's most successful seasons in history this weekend when the varsity heavyweight 8 and 4 will compete in the Henley Women's Regatta on the famed Thames River in England.
Both crews will race on Saturday morning, and will advance to the afternoon races should they win in the morning. Sunday will be devoted to the semifinals in the morning and finals in the afternoon.
"We are all very excited about this opportunity," commented head coach Holly Hatton, who was selected the New England Region Coach of the Year by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association.
It has been 17 years that a Boston University women's crew competed at Henley, and that year it was a heavyweight 4. The year before, Hatton was the coxswain of the heavyweight 4 that won the Gold Medal at Henley.
Admittedly, this year's event will not be the Henley Royal Regatta, considered one of the most prestigious events not just in rowing but in all sports. That event, which is open to only male crews, will be held in a couple of weeks. Ironically, the last year a woman's crew rowed at the Royal Regatta was in 1982.
"We won't have the pomp and circumstance of the Henley Royal Regatta," pointed out Hatton. "But, there is still the mystique of rowing at Henley on the Thames."
What makes the Terrier presence at Henley even more remarkable is how far this heavyweight boat has come since last fall.
At the Head of the Charles, the crew finished 23rd. Then, last spring, in the first poll of the nation's women's crew coaches, the Terriers were ranked 16th. Despite winning just two of six regattas during the season, Hatton could see steady improvement in her boat's performances. It was culminated by a sixth-place finish at the Eastern Sprints and an eighth-place finish at the NCAAs.
Now comes Henley.
"One of our problems last fall at the Head of the Charles was we had two of our key rowers studying abroad, while our cox (Jenn Josef) was studying at Woods Hole," said Hatton.
Colleen Madden was studying in Australia, while Caren Parker was in Switzerland. With the two of them out of the boat, it did give an opportunity for a freshman to emerge as a future starter in the boat.
Her name is Jelena Tomic from Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Studying in the United States, and rowing at a Division 1 program were two of the minor concerns she had especially during the spring season. The other was her mother living in a city that was being bombed by NATO forces. There were times she would be talking to her mother on the phone, and Jelena could hear the bombs landing in the background.
Yet, Jelena was able to overcome those great distractions, and she rowed in the six seat for the heavyweight boat for the entire spring season.
Unfortunately, while her teammates will be in England, Tomic will be back in Boston in summer school.
Amanda Piola will take her spot in the boat.
"Amanda has rowed in the boat during our practice sessions," pointed out Hatton. "She doesn't have the power that Jelena has, but by now, everyone feels comfortable with the lineup."
Hatton also feels her rowers should be adjusted to the time change once the racing begins this weekend.
"We are leaving on Monday night and will be landing in London on Tuesday morning," said the coach. "We will have our first practice on the Thames on Tuesday afternoon, and then practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. So, by the time the racing starts on Saturday, we should be acclimated to the course and the time change."
What will be unusual, though, is the distance of the race.
Instead of the customary 2000 meters that the women row during their season, the Henley course will be only 1500 meters.
"I think that should benefit us," predicted the coach. "During the season, we have always gotten off to a great start and been every aggressive through the first 500 meters. Unfortunately, we are not a big boat, and we haven't had the size to maintain the lead through the middle 1000. And, you could see our lead chiseled away.
"But, one of the qualities of our boat is the grittiness of the rowers, and we never quit. Actually, the only bad race we had all year was against Northeastern. We were just flat the entire race and we were never in it.
"To show how tough our rowers are, though, we came back to beat Northeastern at the Sprints and the NCAAs."
Hatton figures the grittiness of her rowers will come through at Henley.
"Because it is just a 1500-meter course, we will have to row a much higher stroke race," said the coach. "We will have to get off at a 42-stroke-a-minute pace. Then, between the 250- and 500-meter mark, we will get down to 38. From 500 and 1000, we should settle in at a 36. And, over the final 500, we should be at 37 or 38 and maybe even as high as 40."
If the Terriers follow this race plan, the coach feels her boat can come away with a medal.
"If we make the Finals, we will have to row four races in two days (two on Saturday and two on Sunday)," said Hatton. "I am hoping the weather isn't too hot. The weather the past week (June 5-12) was in the 70s, and, if it could remain like that, it would be perfect."
Regardless of the weather, Hatton feels the experience her crew will have could be perfect.
"Rowing at Henley is a unique experience," said Hatton. "It is one our rowers will never forget. There is a different mentality to rowing at Henley.
"There is a certain mystique around it," she continued. "Certainly, part of that mystique is the unknown factor of who we will be rowing against. We don't know anything about them. It's not like here where we know about the colleges we are rowing against. We might know something about the rowers, but we certainly know their times.
"The only thing we know about the crews at Henley is that many of them are clubs so they must have some very good rowers. And, we know many of them row on the Thames.
"The unknown, though, makes it more exciting," Hatton went on. "I think it also makes you less nervous."
Regardless of the outcome, the coach is proud of how far her team has come this year.
"This is really the culmination of a terrific season," Hatton summed up. "We have gone from being ranked 23rd to rowing at Henley. These kids never quit, and they improved each week."
TERRIER BOATINGS FOR HENLEY WOMEN'S REGATTAVarsity Heavyweight Seat Name Class Hometown Cox Jenn Josef Senior Buffalo, NY Str Fiola Foley Sophomore County Kerry, Ireland 7 Colleen Madden Junior Brighton, MA 6 Amanda Piola Sophomore West Chester, PA 5 Lisa Waterhouse Junior Amesbury, MA 4 Caren Parker Senior Hanover, NH 3 Carson Converse Junior Shelburne, MA 2 Lisa Masi Sophomore Goshen, CT Bow Kerry Ash Senior Liverpool, NY
Varsity Four Seat Name Class Hometown Cox Monya Hudsick Freshman Portland, OR Str Alexis Brady Sophomore Philadelphia, PA 3 Hilary Hegener Freshman Poughkeepsie, NY 2 Jessica Johnson Junior Ithaca, NY Bow Jennifer Shea Freshman Cincinnati, OH
