Early Season Race Report

SU women's head rowing coach Justin Moore has released his comprehensive March-April race report, highlighted by analysis of the Kittell Cup and Orange Cup victories. Here are excerpts:

Orange Challenge Cup – The Orange Challenge Cup is one of the most historic in the sport of women’s rowing, raced between three founding members of the EAWRC (Syracuse, UPenn and Northeastern) from the very moment the Syracuse Women’s Rowing Team existed (1978).

1V8+ - For some reason, this race is always a great one. Penn had a great start, and led all crews through the 500m mark. With a firm head wind, we made it a priority to row one beat lower than normal and make a big press in the “wind shadow” of the Mass Ave Bridge.  Our move was extremely effective, taking us from even with Penn to 6 seats up.  Entering the final 500 meters, NU raised their rating to 38 and used the flatter water in lane 3 to gain advantage.  S.U., who had a length advantage starting the final 500 looked threatened.  However, in the final 200m, we shifted speeds and held off NU's charge, winning by 2.3 over NU and 10.5 over Penn (who had lost to Yale by 6.9 the week before).

2V8+ - A strong start, followed by a strong base, saw SU control this race from the 500m mark on. The margin reported in Row2K was 8.5 between SU and Penn, but both the coxswain and I recorded our time as 3 seconds faster.  No matter, the truth will reveal itself in time.  NU, whose varsity had a great 2nd 1K, was not a fast in their 2V, falling 16 seconds back by the finish. 

 V4+ A and B – With a varsity crew that is a “bubble crew”, we continue to discuss the importance of our 2V8+ and V4+ results, in terms of defining how “complete” our team is.  Our V4+ really delivered – racing to a 25 second victory over both Penn and NU, while under-stroking both teams.   

3V8+ - Just like last year, the Penn 3V prevented an SU sweep.  Coached by US Jr National Team Assistant Coach Cass Cunningham, this group simply out-skilled our crew in some very difficult conditions.  The 3V raced in a firm head wind, with the beginning of whitecaps licking off the top of the waves in the basin (ahhhhhh Boston). 

After the race, I had the pleasure of heading to CRI to meet with some local alumnae and shake hands with Mark Lyvers – the first coach of SU Women’s Crew.  We are very happy to announce that this year’s varsity racing shell will carry his name (The Mark Lyvers).

The Kittell Cup:  Another traditional cup race for S.U., this annual race against Boston University also had the University of Minnesota as a guest.  

1V8+ - While Penn took 5 seats from us in the first 250m, Minnesota took even more.  We found ourselves crossing the first 500m with our coxswain on their 2 seat.  They halted Minnesota’s progress by the 500 meter mark.  Then we moved to within 4 seats of even.  Minnesota had a good response and looked to stretch the lead to 6 seats.  500 meters out, one could see SU shift gears and capture the momentum.  SU was coming fast and hard and Minnesota seemed unable to respond.  The flag fell and then 1.9 seconds later it went up again.  SU had won by 7 seats.  I should also mention that B.U. had been even with us at the 400m mark, but then fell 21 seconds behind over the final 1,600m – so SU retained the Kittell Cup.

2V8+ - It was clear at the start of the day that the Minnesota 2V was the other strong 2V in Boston this weekend.  They had beaten Dartmouth by open water the day before and posted a time that was one second faster than ours.  Undaunted, our crew did what they do, taking nearly a length in the first 500m. Showing that they are learning how to be better racers, the crew did not sit on the Gophers.  At the 700meter mark, SU made a good push to clear daylight between the boats.  We went on to win by 8.5 over Minnesota and 31 over B.U. 

V4+A and B – After a close starting 250 meters, Syracuse started to “carry the boat” a little better into the head wind.  By 700 meters that advantage became a length.  The Gophers were a game crew and continued to stick, but in the end the Orange was just too much, cracking things open in the second 1K and finishing a full 9 seconds ahead, with our B4+ only 10 seconds behind Minnesota’s A 4+ and 25 seconds ahead of B.U.'s A4+ entry.  Again, our 4+s and 2V made a strong statement about the depth of our team.  

3V8+ - Minnesota, with a deep team consisting of a 3V and 4V8+ proved too much for our 3V.  Clearing a length in the first 500, with SU doing the same to BU, the women were unable to experience the thrill of boat on boat racing.