The Archbishop Carroll boys varsity four crew team finished 17th out of 30 boats at the the Youth Regional Mid-Atlantic regatta.
The regatta, hosted by USRowing and the Princeton National Rowing Association, took place in West Windsor County, N.J., on May 10 and 11.
Windy conditions on Mercer Lake caused the boys varsity four race to be pushed back from 8:55 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. and then to 3:58 p.m. By the time the team — Colin McClarren, Julian McPherson, Joseph Lazzari, John Smith, and Aliza Rivera — arrived at its trailer, conditions had died down, and the river was more tame. Because no other Carroll lineups were competing, the parents’ tent was nowhere to be found, and the team’s support came from the parents at the iconic blue and white gazebo that overlooked the race course. In contrast to the Manny Flick series and the City Championship’s 1,500 meters, the length of this race was the standard 2,000 meters. The current was in the boat’s favor, as crews followed it, ensuring a speedy passage on the river.
Rowing up to the stakeboats, the boys’ boats were held by their sterns to secure an even starting point. Instead of a quick start (rowers would square, and submerge their blades to fully stop, before doing a starting sequence of short strokes that gradually lengthened), this race was a time trial (rowers paddle into the race course until a certain point where their strokes will be full press, marking the start of 2,000 meters). It was a smooth race for the lineup, with a slight headwind and a steady current.
“Overall, this was probably one of the smoother races we’ve had this season,” Lazzari said, rowing back from the race. “We definitely could’ve brought the rate up, and probably gotten a faster time. I’m not too worn out from this piece, and the other guys don’t seem that way either, so if we had just pushed it a little harder, we could’ve made the top half.”
Semi-finals were eliminated due to the lateness of the races.
“This is the first time I’ve raced in Mid-Atlantics, and I’m a senior,” McClarren said thoughtfully. “The rate was awfully low; I can blame that on myself. I was a bit tired since today is the day after prom, but I’m glad we made it to at least the top 20.”
McPherson agreed.
“Yeah, for all of us, we raced for the first time here,” McPherson said. “Conditions were clear. A slight tailwind was there, though.”
John Smith was upbeat.
“I enjoyed this race despite how disappointed the other guys are. I think we did pretty well,” Smith said, smiling. “We weren’t even taking this race seriously!”
