On the weekend of November 2-3, the Jesuit crew team traveled to Chattanooga, Tennessee to finish their fall season at the Head of the Hooch regatta, the second largest regatta in the world next to the Head of the Charles in Boston, which the crew team participated in earlier this fall. The Head of the Hooch, hosted by the Atlanta Rowing Club of Roswell, Georgia and the Lookout Rowing Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a 3 mile race on the grand Tennessee River. The Hooch hosted over 2,000 boats over the two days, including some from Canada, Germany, Sweden, and Australia. Jesuit participated on both days and brought home some promising results, competing in the Varsity 8, Varsity Lightweight 8, Varsity 4, Varsity Lightweight 4, Novice 8, and Novice 4 races.
On Saturday, November 2, the boat composed of Elliot Stone ’15 (coxswain), Christian Taylor ’15, J.W. Schwab ’14, Jay Hofmeister ’16, Joey Merkel ’16, Adam Hyman ’16, Mitchell Opatowsky ’15, Conar Ehring ’15, and Jake Gossett ’15 tied for 5th with Orlando Area Rowing Society out of 61 boats in the Varsity 8 race. Head Coach John Fife commented that, “We were the second fastest high school which means the rest of the boats who had beaten us were clubs. The only other high school who beat us was Belen Jesuit from Miami.”
On the following day, Sunday, November 3, the team finished 2nd in 30 boats in the Varsity Lightweight 8 race behind Belen Jesuit again.
The JV team, having raced in the varsity event since there was no JV event, finished 21st out of 66 boats in the Varsity 4 race and 14th out of 27 boats, and the Novice team finished 19th out of 27 boats in the Novice 4 race and 23rd in 35 boats in the Novice 8 race.
“It was a really good weekend,” exclaimed Fife. “It really shows where we stand at the end of the fall. It shows us where we are as a team right now. Right now we move into the most important part of our year.”
The months of November, December, January, and February are crucial training and preparation months for the spring crew season, when the championship events take place. Looking back at their past results in the fall, the team will work hard erging, rowing on the lake, and lifting weights in the weight room to carry their trail of success on to the next part of their season.
“This was a great turnout for us,” explained rower Connor Kerl ’15. “The Head of the Hooch really helped us, as a team, to learn how to become better. We will be sure to correct those mistakes we have made in the past and work even harder these next three months to get ready for the spring season.”
As for the next crew event, the team will participate in the S.W.E.A.T. regatta which is actually hosted at Jesuit in February. S.W.E.A.T. is an indoor regatta in which participants from all over the world compete on an ergometer machine. This event will hopefully be the spark of their spring since they will have “home-court advantage” and will have tons of fans actually there to support them on.
Be sure to cheer the team on as they practice and improve and be sure to attend S.W.E.A.T. on February 1, 2014.
