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Crew
Bowen Posner - Head Coach Boys’ Team
Stephanie Guilmet, Head Coach Girls’ Team
Claire Coffey, Assistant
Camden Place, Assistant
Maril Davenport, Assistant
Rowing season runs from the end of Spring Break until Commencement.
Second at USRowing Youth National Championships,
Top Scholastic Finisher
 Head
boys’ coach Bowen Posner reports on crew’s latest
success – a silver medal – at the USRowing Youth
National Championships:
Following graduation and exams, members
of Blair’s top boys’ four (JP Bowditch ’08,
Stephen Patane ’09, Elliott Anderson ’08, John
Redos ’09, and Matt Gallira ’08)
remained on campus in order to prepare for Blair Crew’s
first-ever appearance at the USRowing Youth National Championships.
The USRowing-sponsored event featured the top club and scholastic
rowing programs from each region of the country. Given its
status as an invitational regatta, Youth Nationals required
crews to qualify in various regional races. Following a decisive
victory at Stotesbury, the Blair boys decided to petition for
a bid to Youth Nationals, and ultimately gained one of the
final slots despite failing to race in a designated qualification
regatta. After enjoying a week of rest, the boys’ training
commenced in the midst of a hectic graduation and exam week.
Nonetheless, the crew remained focus on the goal of bringing
their best speed to Youth Nationals by training twice a day
on the waters of Swartswood Lake.
On Thursday, June 12, the oarsmen and
coaches traveled to Cincinnati for the regatta, and they enjoyed
a brief, pre-race row on Harsha Lake’s race course that
evening. With steamy weather (90+ degrees and thunderstorms)
in the forecast as well as a brutal 17-year hatch of cicadas,
the racing conditions alone appeared difficult, not to mention
the strength of the competition! The following morning the
crew arrived at the race course ready to race the defending
national champion, Belmont Hill (Boston, MA), in the first
heat of the Men’s Youth Four event. After a rather slow
start, Blair found itself nearly a length behind the strong
Belmont Crew who, only two weeks before, continued a two-year
winning streak by claiming the New England Interscholastic
Rowing Championship while nearly setting a course record. With
a powerful shift in rhythm and speed, Blair gradually ate into
Belmont’s lead, and by the 1500 meter-mark, Blair had
broken clear of Belmont’s bow. Blair completed the race
with a seven second advantage over Belmont, a result which
boded well for the upcoming semi-final and grand final races.
Saturday’s semi-final provided
some of the most intense and dramatic racing of the weekend.
Blair faced strong competition from Episcopal Academy (Philadelphia,
PA), Noble & Greenough School (Dedham, MA), and Community
Rowing, Inc., a large club program based in Boston, MA. Off
the line, Blair, once again, found itself in a precarious position
following a very slow start. They mounted a furious charge
in the middle of the race while countering the attacks made
by their opponents. At the finish line, Blair placed third
in a three-way photo finish between Episcopal, Nobles, and
Blair, a .5 second margin separating these top three crews.
The following morning, pristine racing
conditions and somewhat cooler temperatures welcomed the boys’ crew
upon their arrival at Harsha Lake. Nonetheless, the crew anticipated
a fiery grand final race since five of the six crews in the
event rowed within .7 seconds of one another during the previous
day’s semi-final. With eager parents and family members
cheering from shore, the boys’ crew left the dock with
focus, determined to put together a complete race from start
to finish. Immediately after the opening strokes, Blair found
itself slightly behind three crews, Belmont Hill, Episcopal,
and Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club, a large program which draws
from the entire Cincinnati-area. By 500 meters into the race,
however, Belmont and Episcopal fell off the pace, and Blair
started to move. It gradually attacked Cincinnati’s lead,
and as a result, the two crews pushed themselves past the entire
field. With 500 meters to race, the Blair boat, a bright blue
boat shell named the Apollo, surged for the finish line along
with the yellow-colored hull raced by Cincinnati. Cincinnati
maintained the slightest of margins as the two boats crossed
the finish line. The Blair oarsmen collapsed over their oars,
completely depleted after one of their best races of the season.
By crossing the line in second position to powerful club program,
the boys secured the title as the best scholastic team in the
nation. Well rowed, Bucs!
Blair Crew (Boys and Girls) FAQs
The following question/answer format is intended to introduce you to Blair Crew; the questions presented are the ones we’ve found raised most often by prospective students who are considering rowing in the spring.
When does the crew season begin/end?
Crew is mainly a spring sport. We have a recreational program available in the fall, but our real season begins after Spring Break. The season ends the week prior to Commencement.
Is experience necessary?
Most of the students who join Blair Crew have little or no experience prior to their first season. Many novice rowers transition to the varsity very quickly and compete for the top seats on our boats.
What is the general make-up of the team?
The team is broken into four groups: novice boys, novice girls, varsity boys and varsity girls. Currently, the team has just over 60 athletes participating at all levels.
Where do you practice?
We have an indoor training room located in the main gymnasium on campus. We use land-based rowing machines and ergometers to teach basic stroke technique and to increase strength and fitness. Our outdoor facility is located on Swartswood Lake, which is about a 15-minute bus ride from campus.
When do we practice?
We practice after classes each day. The team meets at the busses and heads out to the lake. Practice runs up till dinner that evening.
How long are the workouts?
The team works out five days a week for two hours each day.
One day out of the week, we race against opponents in the
MAPL League and throughout the Northeast. Basically, we
expect the team to row six days a week.
Are there any morning workouts?
No.
How many races are there during the season?
Generally we have seven competitions during the eight-week spring season. If you are part of the novice team, you will race in five to six of these events; as a varsity member, you will race in all seven competitions.
What types of Championship Regattas are possible?
Blair Crew attends the Mercer Sprints Regatta, Founder’s Day Regatta, and the Upper Merion Regatta. In addition, the members of the MAPL League hold a championship race near the end of the spring. The Blair Crew seasom culminates at the Stotesbury Regatta, where we race against the very best crews from all over the United States and Canada.
Why row?
It’s a total experience that immerses you. Here are just a few more reasons:
- Rowers are the toughest, most determined athletes you will meet!
- Rowing is for EVERYONE. It does not matter what height you are or what size you are. If you are interested in us, we are interested in you.
- It does not matter if you have never played sports before or have never heard of rowing; we will teach you everything you need to know.
- Rowing works all the muscle groups and burns more calories than any other sport or exercise. It is a sport that demands endurance, strength and skill. It requires consummate teamwork and mental toughness.
- Many universities offer scholarships for crew. Crew is a growing sport on college campuses. Participating in crew looks good on your college application.
- Blair Crew has FUN. We feel that by rowing, you become not just a better athlete but a better student and person as well.
- The team experience forms very close friendships and helps everyone grow dramatically as people. You learn a sense of responsibility toward your boat mates and team, and this transfers to all walks of life.
Bowen Posner - Head Coach Boys’ Crew
Stephanie Guilmet - Head Coach Girls’ Crew
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Introduction
