The Quadrangle

Issue date: 2/16/05 Section: Features

While other sports are training and hoping for the spring season, the Manhattan College Crew team was rowing away at two indoor rowing championships this winter, the New York Rowing Association Indoor Championship and the New York Athletic Club Indoor Championship. Manhattan did well winning several categories at the races including the women's coxswain, and men's lightweight races.
Typically, an indoor race consists of several rowing machines(ergs) lined up and connected electronically in an indoor facility. The distance for the race is 2000 meters for the varsity division, both men and women, and typically 1000 meters for the coxswain division.All the rowing machines are connected to one master computer which keeps records of the times rowed on each machine and the individual who rowed. Even if there are many heats the placement procedure is the same giving places to the top two or three finishers in each category. The categories include open men(all men can compete), varsity college men(all college men can compete), lightweight college men( college men under 165 lbs.), college men coxswain(college men under 135 lbs), open women(all women can compete), college women(all college women can compete), lightweight college women(college women under 130 lbs), and college women's coxswain(college women under 125 lbs). Manhattan competed against hometown rivals Iona, NYU, and Columbia.
On February 11 at 5:00 P.M. during the women's basketball game the 24 hour rowathon officially began. Every year the rowathon builds team unity and also helps reduce the cost of spring training that takes place in Florida every year. Funds for the spring training trip are generally generated from sales from the concession stands during Manhattan basketball games and donations from the rowathon every year. Since all rowing facilities in close proximity to Manhattan College are unusable until the middle of March, the time training in Florida is a neccesity to prepare the team for the upcoming spring season. When asked about the purpose of the rowathon women's captain Kathryn Vergo replied, "It gives us a chance to build unity and raise money at the same time. Often we don't have much time outside of practice and school to be together in one place, as a whole team."
After the women's basketball game ended the rowathon moved to the third floor of Thomas Hall, in front of the Student Government Lounge. Richard Rinelli and myself took part in a challenge to row 42,195 meters or the equivelant of a marathon (26.2 miles). We started at 10:00 P.M on Friday night and finished at around 2:30 on Saturday morning. Our teammates joined us and sang songs and listened to music while we cheered each other on. During our row many Manhattan College students came to cheer us on and donate money to help our team. Many members of the team rowed two or even three hours averaging about 12, 000 meters each hour, about 7 miles. every step of the way there was always at least one person cheering the rowers on. The final total of the meters rowed was 580,195 ( approximately 350 miles). Coach Mike Ward said, " We had a good showing for this rowathon. The rowathon shows how hard the rowers train and how much they worked during the indoor season. I would also like to thank all the supporters who donated money for our training trip."
During the spring training trip the team works out together for about 4 hours a day practicing drills and racing against each other. The time on the water in Florida helps the team since, in New York, they could only have about an hour each day to practice on the water. The time on the water is more valuable than any practice on the rowing machine or in a gym. There are aspects of rowing that can only be learned and practiced on the water. The winter season is good to build endurance and general strength, but practice on the water is needed before the spring season arrives.
After spring training Manhattan Crew look forward to its first regatta, the Manhattan Invitational, which will be held at the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse.

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