It was only one week ago that the Connecticut River was frozen solid and the Big Green men's lightweight, men's heavyweight and women's crews were forced to train indoors. But after a weekend of mild temperatures and rain, the ice broke and the three squads were finally able to row on the river.
Spring has arrived for Dartmouth crew.
All three teams must now catch up for lost water time because of critical races against Ivy League rivals scheduled for the next two weeks.
But 1994 promises to be one of the best years ever for the Big Green and Dartmouth certainly has the potential to dominate Eastern Sprints, the league's championship race at the end of the season.
"Other crews may have a slight advantage in the early season, but we will reach a faster peak speed later in the season when it counts the most," heavyweight coach Scott Armstrong said. "Our harsh training indoors and the late start on the river has made us hungrier."
The Big Green women started the season on the right track when they lined up against the University of New Hampshire and Northeastern in Durham, N.H. on Apr. 2. The novices and the varsity boats rowed confidently to record victories in all four races against the Huskies and the Wildcats for the first time in recent history.
"No one knew what to expect," women's coach Barb Kirch said of last weekend's races. "When we started to pull ahead during the race I knew that we were fit enough and we were well prepared, but the big question was what we were going to do with all that."
This year's team appears to be the strongest in recent years, with three talented varsity boats and two novice boats prepared to make a name for themselves in the league.
"Physically, this is definitely the strongest team in recent years," Kirch said. "Now that we're back on the water, we need to row well enough and race well enough to be one of the top crews."
"We should be an exciting team to keep track of this season because we're a group of very strong and committed individuals who want to dominate the league and win medals at Sprints," Captain Julie Stevenson '94 said. "It's an honor to lead this group of women. I have so much respect for them and their dedication."
This weekend, the women travel to Derby, Conn. to race Yale and Boston University. Yale is undefeated at this point in the season and, with a new coach, appears to be a revitalized team that will be a force in the league. BU won most of the competitions in the fall and Kirch said she expect them to be a tough opponent.
"This is a pivotal weekend," Kirch said. "We're finally strong enough, fit enough and mature enough to be in the game. So far we're in it but we have to prove it every week."
While the Dartmouth women race the Terriers and the Bulldogs, the heavyweight men also travel to Derby, Conn. to race Ivy League rivals Yale and Cornell University. Yale finished third at Sprints last year and should be a formidable opponent for the Big Green.
"The Yale race this weekend should tell us a lot about how we stack up against other top schools," heavyweight Captain Fred Malloy '94 said. "We're looking to win it all this year and victories against Yale and Cornell will be the first step."
Indeed, the heavyweight varsity is three boats deep, with what appears to be unlimited potential and constructive competition within the squad. A large group of seniors that includes two rowers with international rowing experience leads a dedicated team.
"Indoor testing shows this year's squad is our most powerful ever," Armstrong said. "Our goals are simple - win medals at the Eastern Championships and win it all at the National Championships in June."
The Big Green lightweights - winners of the 1993 Jope Trophy at Eastern Sprints for overall lightweight supremacy and the gold medalist in the varsity eight event - have this weekend off but they begin their quest to defend their Sprints title when Dartmouth faces Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. on Apr. 17.
"We have a different kind of crew this year," lightweight coach Dick Grossman said. "The '93s were an experienced group of rowers and their leadership had a lot to do with our success last year. This year we are just as strong, if not stronger, and we can do better. We may not have a lot of experience, but the potential is definitely there."
Pre-season racing in Augusta, Ga. gave the lights reason to hope for great things to come, for the Big Green faced the Princeton lightweight varsity - traditionally a strong crew in the early season - and defeated the Tigers by a huge margin. But races against Harvard, Yale and Cornell, schools with strong lightweight programs, loom in the horizon.
Along with the anticipated success of the varsity, the freshmen lightweights appear to be a talented squad in their own right, with
"They're certainly one of the most committed crews I've ever had," said freshman lightweight Coach Chris Schmidt of his squad. "With eight experienced rowers, an experienced coxswain and strong novices, we will definitely thrive on the pressure of being the crew to beat."
