Racing furiously, a boat of Jesuit rowers embrace the ebb and flow of the water, oars slicing in and out of the wake.
The crew team traveled during the month of October to Cambridge, Massachusetts to compete in the annual Head of the Charles, the largest two day regatta in the world. The Head of the Charles stretches three miles and draws teams from across the globe, a challenge that put the crew team’s skills to the test. The crew team finished 23rd overall against 84 total teams, fighting to the 7th best finish for high schools from the United States.
“Although the conditions weren’t working in any crew’s favor, the guys did a great job at keeping the race clean without any missed strokes,” James French ’18 stated about the team’s impressive performance. Timing is key, and there is little to no room for mistakes, especially in a race the size of the Head of the Charles.
Coach John Fife of the crew team also elaborated on the team’s performance, stating, “This year’s Head of the Charles presented very challenging conditions with 20-30 mph sustained winds and chop. That said, I thought our guys did a good job of handling the conditions, executing our race plan, and being really aggressive on the water.”
“The Charles is always a fun regatta,” according to Coach Fife, “but we use it as a gauge as to where we stand at that moment against other schools, not where we plan to stack up in April, May, or June. We are looking ahead to winter training to gear up for the spring season!”
The Head of the Charles was a difficult competition, but ultimately strengthened the crew team’s cooperation and determination, traits that the team will surely use when springtime comes.
