Harvard-Radcliffe Lightweight Rowing Racks Up Silverware At Eastern Sprints

The No. 1 Harvard-Radcliffe Lightweight crew traveled down to the 51st annual Eastern Sprints this past weekend to compete in its final race before the national championships. The team medaled in all four races that it entered, with the V8 and double A taking home silver, and the V4 and double B securing a bronze apiece.

The V8 began the day early, coasting through their initial heat despite windy conditions. Coxed by senior Lillian Ranalli, the crew was able to work efficiently to beat out Georgetown by seven seconds, setting itself up well for the afternoon.

As it was the only Harvard-Radcliffe crew to race in the morning, assistant coach Kate Kelly highlighted the importance of treating each race as an individual challenge.

“What you did in the morning doesn’t matter when you get to the afternoon piece. Each race is completely independent from one another,” Kelly explained.

In the Grand Final, the V8 was edged out by its Ivy League rival, Princeton. Despite beating the Tigers earlier in the season by three seconds, the Black and White was unable to close the 1.5-second gap between the boats, placing second overall.

“We just need to continue the momentum that we have been able to find in our earlier season racing, cleaning up the edges the best we can, and continuing the momentum that the team has worked so hard to build up to this point,” said Kelly.

Also winning a silver medal was the double A, stroked by sophomore Kiera Mariko Dwan and steered by freshman Stella Sweitzer. In the year prior, the double had comparatively struggled, taking home a sixth-place finish. However, since last season’s Eastern Sprints, the depth of Harvard-Radcliffe’s roster has grown extensively, allowing the team to succeed in boats outside of just the V8 and V4.

“The double, Kiera Dwan and Stella Sweitzer, did a really nice job and had a really confident race, and I was really, really proud of their outcome. They ended up taking silver, and that was in an event that we told them before the race was really open season. It was anyone’s game,” Kelley said.

“I think that the confidence that they were able to put on display just shows what they’ve been working on all season. They are a great example of what it means in your rowing to be confident, how that can have great outcomes,” the assistant coach added.

The V4 struggled slightly in the gloomy weather conditions, falling to both Princeton and Boston University. Two weeks ago, three of the four crew members beat the Terriers in the Beanpot, possibly indicating that there will be a change in lineups before the IRA National Championships to maximise the Black and White’s speed.

“We emphasize each day and each week and each month, the importance of taking your shoes out… lineups are not finalized until you put the shell in the water on race day,” explained Kelly. “So even if that lineup were to stay the same, or lineups were to be similar, these athletes have to continue to work for their seats every single day and seek improvement every single day.”

Harvard-Radcliffe will once again try to best the Tigers to win the coveted gold medal at the IRAs at the end of the month. After being ranked No. 1 for the entirety of the season, the Black and White will wish to prove itself in one final test of its racing skills this season.

—Staff writer Matilda C. Genieser can be reached at [email protected].