Men's Crew Storms Past Dartmouth to Retain Atalanta Cup

Saturday, April 25

Brown University

Dartmouth

Men's Crew Storms Past Dartmouth to Retain Atalanta Cup

4/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Crew

HANOVER, N.H. – The Brown men's crew picked up three victories, including a win in the varsity eight, as the Bears raced past Ivy League foe Dartmouth to retain the Atalanta Cup on Saturday on the Connecticut River, the oldest cup in American Intercollegiate Sport, having first been contested in 1857.

In the 5th varsity, the Dartmouth boat had more poise and worked well in the conditions, slowly walking away from the young Brown crew. In the 4th varsity, the Brown men rowed in a relatively untested lineup, but as the race bore out, it was apparent that the Dartmouth boat was able to lay down a little more powerful rhythm than Bruno. The Brown crew showed staying power through the middle of the race, but had given up too much in the first half to take it all back. The Dartmouth crew crossed the line in a time of 5:24 with the Brown 4V following in a time of 5:29.

In the third varsity race, both boats surged ahead and held even through the 500 meter mark, but the Brown boat's rhythm and strength appeared to be more effective than the Dartmouth boat, and as an unpredicted headwind began to blow, Brown began to move ahead. The Brown 3V, composed of a composite of upperclassmen and freshmen athletes, moved steadily throughout the race, pushing out to a significant open water lead by the end. The Brown boat crossed in a time of 5:38 with Dartmouth trailing at 5:51.

The JV race was an exciting battle, with the Brown crew coming out of the blocks fast and aggressive. With an almost six-seat advantage, Brown crossed the quarter mark with Dartmouth hot on their tail. In the second quarter of the race, Dartmouth mounted a strong charge, coming up to almost even on the Brown second varsity. However, at the halfway mark Brown answered the challenge, and began to extend their lead as they approached the finish line. As the boats crossed, Brown had worked its way out to a slim open-water lead, crossing in a time of 5:27, while Dartmouth finished at 5:29.8.

The Varsity race closed out the day with some razzle-dazzle, coming from a full boat length down going into the final quarter to win by two seconds. The Dartmouth boat attacked the first quarter with enthusiasm while the Brown crew was still finding its rhythm, and its opening efforts earned a lead on Bruno of six seats. As the race drove on, the persistence of the Dartmouth varsity was evident, and they continued to hold their six-seat lead. The race sped down the course, 500 meters, 1000, 1500 gone with Dartmouth stubbornly holding their six-seat lead. As the race entered the final quarter, however, a cry from the coxswain Neil McKenzie indicated that Bruno was not going to be beaten today. With ultimate assertion and sheer will, the Brown crew powered their way from a six-seat deficit to a six-seat advantage in the final minute of the race. Both crews slumped over their oars at the finish line and congratulated each other for their races, but it was Brown that had wrenched victory from the claws of defeat.

Brown returns to the water next weekend when they visit Princeton for the Content Cup.

Lineups
1v

C. Neil McKenzie
8. Matthew Douglas
7. Avery Reavill
6. Peter Woolley
5. Hunter Leeming
4. Brooks Reavill
3. David Lazris
2. Thomas Finn Meeks
1. Maximilian Lowndes