The Bromfield-Acton-Boxboro girls rowers opened their season in Schuylerville, NY, for the Tail of the Fish Regatta on Sept. 23. Though the water surface was calm, recent rainfall resulted in a swift current against the course with several significant whirlpools at the finish line. It took twice the usual time for most crews to complete the two-mile course.
The whirlpools affected some of the boats, tossing them side to side just as the rowers tried to sprint to the finish line.
The girls crews captured medals in six of the seven events they entered in spite of the crazy conditions. Bromfield juniors Olivia Maclean and Caroline Hart placed first and second in the single event, respectively. The same two rowers paired up for the victory in the double event as well.
The girls varsity eight pulled to a second place with coxswain Polly Lauer and rowers Caroline Hart, Livvi Maclean, Tola Myczkowska, Hannah Porter, Elizabeth Wilkey, Sylvia Sarnik, Molly Hart, and K.C. Kaulkner. The girls novice crew also placed second led by coxswain Emily Erdos and rowers Anya Plucinsky, Hannah Malloy, Lilla Kis, Jo-an Erickson, Olivia Stoffel, Panna Rasania, Meghan Glade, and Sam Schena.
Last Sunday, Bromfield-Acton-Boxboro rowers competed at the Lowell Textile Regatta. After an additional week of preparation, it was clear that all are becoming physically stronger, technically better, and more cohesive crews. Changes and adjustments in the varsity line-up last week really made the difference in the crew’s ability to perform well together, and they were very happy with their second place result in a highly competitive field. The rain and strong head winds that greeted the early rowers yielded to calm and drier weather as the day progressed and finally to perfect race conditions for the afternoon races.
Bromfield-Acton-Boxboro raced six crews with many of the girls racing in two events. The great surprise of the morning was the novice 8+ taking first place out of 21 crews. The boat, with cox Emily Erdos and rowers Anya Plucinsky, Katrina Gross, Lilla Kis, Jo-an Erickson, Olivia Stoffel, Hannah Malloy, Megahan Glade, and Panna Rasania edged out perennial favorite Community Rowing, Inc.
Success followed for the sculling duo of Caroline Hart and Olivia Maclean who came off the water frustrated by having to steer around shifting lane buoys to avoid a time penalty. Even given the extra distance covered by steering adjustments, results showed the two winning the race by more than 10 seconds.
In a field of 40 crews, the Bromfield-Acton-Boxboro Varsity 4+ A and B crews finished sixth and twelfth, respectively. Coach Holly Hatton was satisfied with these “strong results in this very competitive field.”
The A crew that finished sixth was led by cox Polly Lauer and powered by rowers Tola Myczkowska, Hannah Porter, Elizabeth Wilkey, and Sylvia Sarnik. The B crew followed close behind in twelfth with Cox Amanda Sundheimer and rowers K.C. Faulkner, Molly Hart, Caroline Turnbull, and Emily Hedison.
Finishing off the afternoon for Bromfield-Acton-Boxboro was the varsity 8+ race with two boats in the field of 38 entries. The A boat had an exciting and very strong race, finishing second to powerhouse Community Rowing. After catching oars with a crew they were overtaking, the girls were forced to drop back almost three quarters of a boat length. The crew rallied and brought it on strong in a big sprint to the finish line.
Cox Polly Lauer, Caroline Hart, Sylvia Sarnik, Molly Hart, Olivia Maclean, Tola Myczkowska, Hannah Porter, Elizabeth Wilkey, and K.C. Faulkner were very pleased with the end result.
The B crew with cox Amanda Sundheimer and rowers Emily Hedison, Jillian Saydah, Mary Egan, Caroline Turnbull, Colleen O’Shea, Annie Cooper, Emily Mitchell, and Ki Jung Lee felt they could have executed a better race, but according to Coach Hatton they managed to finish third out of the second varsity crews.
Coach Hatton concluded that she is “pleased with the progress the team has made so far and is looking forward to the next race in Worcester next Sunday.”
