Blair Sculling has had a wonderful season so far. We have been fortunate to enjoy incredible weather from preseason through the Head of the Charles. The season began with our preseason trip to Driftstone Campground in Pennsylvania, where we took to the Delaware River for the second year in a row to kick things off. With 20 rowers, this fall’s roster marks our largest yet, evenly split between the women’s and men’s teams.
Upon returning to our home on the Paulinskill, we enjoyed uninterrupted water time throughout September and October, with arguably the best conditions in the six years of Blair’s Small Boat Fall. Unlike the spring season, which is packed with weekly races, the fall offers more time for technical development and the opportunity to learn sculling in small boats, a challenging and rewarding endeavor.
Most athletes race three times this fall, beginning with a home scrimmage against The Hill School on September 24. This event continues our long-standing tradition of partnering with another program that shares our commitment to small-boat sculling. While the informal format makes official scoring difficult, the day was a great success for both programs and set a strong tone heading into the Head of the Passaic on October 12.
At the Passaic, Blair athletes delivered some of our best results to date. Highlights included the Women’s Varsity 2x capturing silver, the first varsity medal for the program since Blair’s inaugural fall racing season. The Men’s Varsity 2x crews followed with strong performances, finishing 5th and 6th, while Alice Xu and Jasper Balough led the way in the varsity singles, both placing within the top ten of a competitive field.
The doubles of Calista Chen and Ella Poliquin, along with Sean Bernard and Henry Liddell, are currently preparing to represent Blair at the Head of the Charles in Boston as our two entries for this year’s regatta. The season will conclude next week with full team participation at the Head of the Schuylkill in Philadelphia. Afterward, the athletes will enjoy a well-earned rest before transitioning into winter training, where several will continue their preparation for the spring season.