In a tough three way competition against Clarkson and SUNY Albany, the Red Hawks’ men’s and women’s crews came out on top of all events. In the women’s varsity 8+, the team won by open water against their opponents.
“In some ways, this is a continuation of last spring. We had an excellent crew then. We have an excellent crew now. I wouldn’t be surprised if half of the women’s programs in the UCAA are nationally ranked this year. We’ll have to stay committed if were going compete with this group.” said Coach Todd Rutecki.
The men’s varsity 8+ dominated the competition as well. Boasting a young crew, the team was able to clearly demonstrate their competitive spirit from the beginning of the race. A mechanical malfunction caused the boat to come to a complete stop allowing the competition to move ahead by a number of boat lengths. Rensselaer fought back over the next two miles to take the lead and then move ahead quickly over the final mile of the race.
The novice—first year rowers—crews are off to an exciting start of their racing season. Both novice men’s and women’s top boats won their events in decisive fashion. The novice men jumped out and took an early lead and held it for the duration of the three mile course.
The novice women, taking a more conservative approach, started at the back of the pack and slowly chipped away at Albany and Clarkson. Gaining confidence, the crew pulled away and commanded the last half of the race. The second boat for the novice men competed in their own event and defeated the only other competitor, SUNY Albany, handedly.
The team will be accepting prospective athletes again in late January. Interested candidates should schedule their spring classes so that they are able to attend practice Monday through Friday from 5:15-7:30 pm. Interested candidates may e-mail Coach Rutecki at rutect@rpi.edu for further information.
