On Saturday, at the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championships on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA the boys rowing team captured another team championship title. Collectively, the performances of the four varsity boats scored 47 points to lead the 2018 NEIRA Championships field and best their own 2017 performance by a point.
In the morning, all four of the Deerfield varsity boats qualified in their preliminary heats for their respective Grand Final races in the afternoon. Together at the end of the day, the four boys’ boats posted three 1st place finishes and one silver medal finish.
Over the last 250 meters the boys fourth boat broke away from Belmont Hill to increase their lead to over a full boat length by the finish line. The boat broke the finish line plane at 5:19.229.
From the start of the race, the boys third boat made seats with every stroke to create an open water buffer between themselves and the rest of the field. The boys in the third boat proceeded to extend their lead for the remainder of the race, finishing the race at 5:11.373.
Again Deerfield found itself in a race with Belmont Hill in the boys varsity second boat. At the midway point in the race, Belmont Hill edged the Big Green by a half boat length. The race came down to the final 25 strokes. Despite a forceful push by the Big Green at the finish line, Belmont Hill edged the Big Green (5:08.179) by a hair.
In the boys first varsity four, the Big Green boat was dominant from their opening strokes. At the 500 meter point in the race, the Big Green had already amassed a half boat length lead on Belmont Hill which extended throught the second half of the race to capture the gold medal (4:50.032).
Boat Results:
Boys 4V4+: 1st (5:19.229)
Boys 3V4+: 1st (5:11.373)
Boys 2V4+: 2nd (5:08.179)
Boys 1V4+: 1st (4:50.032)
2018 NEIRA Championship Results
Rewatch the 2018 NEIRA Championships races here and watch the awards ceremony by clicking here.
With their first place finish at this year’s NEIRA Championships, the boys first boat earned their fifth consecutive gold medal at the NEIRA Championships and their fifth consecutive bid to the US Rowing Youth National Championships. This year, the national championship races will be held at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Rancho Cordova, CA from June 8-10.
Last year, at the US Rowing National Championships the Big Green boat took home the gold medal and national title as the boys youth 4+ fastest boat in the country. In the three previous years (2014-2016) at the national championship races, the Deerfield first boat earned the bronze medal.
Stay tuned as the Big Green look to further their history in a couple of weeks in California!