Williams Women's Crew 2nd and 3rd at Head of the Charles

Williams Sports Info
By Liz Zhu
03:40PM / Monday, October 19, 2009

Print | Email |

BOSTON, MA. - At the Head of the Charles, the largest regatta in the world, Williams Women’s Crew showed its depth and strength, capturing 2nd and 3rd place in the collegiate eights race on Sunday. Grand Valley State, the reigning Dad Vail and ACRA (club) champion, took first place. Williams’ perennial rivals Bates and Trinity finished 12th and 24th, respectively. 

The Williams 1V started the race at bow number one, seeded directly above Bates, Trinity, and the Williams 2V. Gusty nor’easter headwind conditions in the powerhouse stretch marred the first portion of the race, but Williams was ready to “pull through, having seen much worse at Onota” said senior captain and stroke of the 1V Julia Haltermann. The women powered down the winding course and took advantage of tail wind conditions around and past the Weeks Bridge turn. 

“It is a challenge to be the first boat off but I think our boat met the challenge and responded well,” Haltermann added. Throughout the race, Williams continued to lengthen their distance from the chasing crews and was ecstatic about the aggressive and well-executed race. 

The Ephs were further heartened to see their 2V skillfully pass Trinity in the first 1000 meters and later pass Bates on the Cambridge Boat Club turn. Coxswain Fiona Wilkes ’12 was especially proud of her young crew and its ability to compete with and defeat comparable 1Vs.

It wasn’t until the women were off the water when they learned of the results: Grand Valley State finished in 17:47.3, fourteen seconds ahead of the first Williams boat (18:01.2) and twenty-four seconds ahead of the second Williams boat (18:10.9). “This result emphasizes how lucky we are to face one of the fastest Division III boats every day on the water” gushed 1V five-seat Emma Pelegri-O’Day ’12.  Out of Division III crews, Williams placed first and second.

Next week, focus shifts to the novice women at the Head of the Fish in Saratoga, NY.

LINEUPS:

Williams 1V:

Coxswain - Liz Zhu ’11
Stroke - Julia Haltermann ’10 (captain)
7 - Dorothy MacAusland ’12
6 - Sarah Ginsberg ’10 (captain)
5 - Emma Pelegri-O’Day ’12
4 - Kate Shaper ’12
3 - Lindsay Olsen ’12
2 - Jane McClellan ’12
Bow - Maddie Berky ‘10

Williams 2V:

Coxswain - Fiona Wilkes ’12
Stroke - Laura Caccamo ’10
7 - Dana Golden ’13
6 - Sara Wallace ’12
5 - Abbie Deal ’12
4 - Annie Haley ’13
3 - Syd Tooze ‘12
2 - Ashley Amos ’12
Bow - Kaitlin Konkel ‘10