Sep 29.
ODBC crew's first regatta, the Head of
the Old Town, was a washout. Literally. All the singles and doubles
races were scratched, and the ODBC eights rowed against each other.
So the Head of the Potomac, in Georgetown on the last Saturday in
September, was their first real test.
The day was especially good for Coach Rubini's scullers. The boy's
singles took the first five spots in their race, led by TC WIlliams
rower Alex Lovo with a time of 19:25.776. Michael Noll, Mac Johnson,
Evan Martin and Zachary Hutchings all finished under 20 minutes, and
Enoch Cleckley finished tenth in a field of scullers from Virginia
and North Carolina. On the girl's side, Abby Martin was second at
23:05.97.
In the sweep races, both the boys and girls faced tough competition
in the 2.8-mile course, which starts upriver from Key Bridge and
runs to the Kennedy Center. No matter. The boy's "B" eight won their
race, beating Georgetown by 5 seconds, and the "A" boat was sixth.
The girl's eights were second and fifth in a field of ten boats.
Oct 16.
There were 1200 rowers competing
in the Occoquan Chase on October 14 - colleges, clubs, masters (age
30 to 70+), recreational, novices and juniors (under 19). At times
it seemed that all of them were trying to launch at the same time,
but eventually everyone got through the traffic jams and onto the
head race course at Sandy Run under the clear blue sky of a perfect
autumn afternoon.
The Old Dominion Boat Club was
represented by two boys eights, two girls eights and a four, and
scullers. Once again, the boys single scullers showed serious
strength, taking 2nd through 6th in the juniors event. Two of them,
Alex Lovo and Zachary Hutchings, are slated to row a double at the
Head of the Charles. The boys eights were 6th and 13th, with the "A"
boat just 44 seconds off the winning time. On the girls side, coach
Cathy Hott put together a four for this regatta, and it came in 3rd
in a field of nine, finishing behind two boats from Tidewater
Virginia. The girls eights were 3rd and 11th in a 19-boat race, and
McKenzie Harper was second in the girls singles. One boys eight and
one girls eight will travel to Boston for the Head of the Charles.
Oct 27.
Head of the Schuylkill was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Nov 5.
It was medals all around for the ODBC team at the last contest of
the season, the Head of the Occoquan regatta on November 4 and 5.
Alex Lovo of TC Williams won the men's youth singles, leading the
field with a time of 20:35. Zach Hutchings was fourth, and Michael
Noll came in sixth. Abby Martin took second place in the women's
youth singles event with a time of 22:09.4590, the best time by far
of any area rower.
On Sunday, the ODBC men's "A" 8 missed first place by less than a
second, taking silver with a time of 17:01.976. The men's "B" 8 was
11th.
The women's "A" boat was 3rd with a time of 19:21.215 and the "B" 8
was 13th in a field of 31.
