Spring Break
Crew team rows its way to strong finish at Dad Vail Regatta
Charles Alexander
Issue date: 5/16/08 Section: Sports
Not even rain could stop the Drexel crew team from finishing its season on an impressive note at the Dad Vail Regatta.
The men's varsity eight took an eventual fifth place in the petite final, the regatta's consolation final, with a time of 6:01.62. Even though no other Drexel boat placed, four of the five eight-man boats made it to the semifinals.
"We did pretty well considering how we have done in the last three years and being a senior, this was my fourth Vail," Austin Barolin, the captain of the crew team, said. "The freshmen this year stepped up so this was a good step in the right direction."
The women's varsity eight came within one place of clinching a berth in their own petite final with a time of 6:39.83, only five seconds slower than the eventual champion UC-Davis had during its final run.
In the semifinals, the men's varsity eight had the fourth-fastest time of all the boats, yet the heat it was in was highly competitive and it settled for third after Grand Valley and Jacksonville.
"We didn't get screwed over at all," Barolin said when asked about the difficulty of Drexel's draw. "You can't do anything about the draw and you kind of just have to take what they give you. We had a fast semi and we just got the short end of the draw."
The Dad Vail Regatta is a yearly race held in Philadelphia on the Schuylkill River, named after the Wisconsin Crew Coach Harry "Dad" Vail. 2008 marked the 70th year the regatta was held and the 32nd year that women have competed. Over 100 teams from the United States and Canada take part of this event every year with thousands of spectators in attendance along the river.
"I have been coming to this event ever since I moved to this city in 2002 and this has been the best performance by the Drexel rowers since I have been here," senior Jon Egbosimbah said.
The weather May 9, the day of the initial race, was cold, compounded by rain and heavy winds. Spectators and athletes were pounded by the pouring rain and barreling wind, yet the regatta went on, though many may have thought it would be postponed.
"It may be cold, very rainy and windy but this race is still fun to come out to and support our classmates," Egbosimbah said. "It's always a great time out here on the river."
The men's varsity eight took an eventual fifth place in the petite final, the regatta's consolation final, with a time of 6:01.62. Even though no other Drexel boat placed, four of the five eight-man boats made it to the semifinals.
"We did pretty well considering how we have done in the last three years and being a senior, this was my fourth Vail," Austin Barolin, the captain of the crew team, said. "The freshmen this year stepped up so this was a good step in the right direction."
The women's varsity eight came within one place of clinching a berth in their own petite final with a time of 6:39.83, only five seconds slower than the eventual champion UC-Davis had during its final run.
In the semifinals, the men's varsity eight had the fourth-fastest time of all the boats, yet the heat it was in was highly competitive and it settled for third after Grand Valley and Jacksonville.
"We didn't get screwed over at all," Barolin said when asked about the difficulty of Drexel's draw. "You can't do anything about the draw and you kind of just have to take what they give you. We had a fast semi and we just got the short end of the draw."
The Dad Vail Regatta is a yearly race held in Philadelphia on the Schuylkill River, named after the Wisconsin Crew Coach Harry "Dad" Vail. 2008 marked the 70th year the regatta was held and the 32nd year that women have competed. Over 100 teams from the United States and Canada take part of this event every year with thousands of spectators in attendance along the river.
"I have been coming to this event ever since I moved to this city in 2002 and this has been the best performance by the Drexel rowers since I have been here," senior Jon Egbosimbah said.
The weather May 9, the day of the initial race, was cold, compounded by rain and heavy winds. Spectators and athletes were pounded by the pouring rain and barreling wind, yet the regatta went on, though many may have thought it would be postponed.
"It may be cold, very rainy and windy but this race is still fun to come out to and support our classmates," Egbosimbah said. "It's always a great time out here on the river."
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