The women's varsity crew team advanced to the semifinals before losing to the eventual champions at Royal Henley Regatta in Henley-On-Thames England late last month.
The team was forced by event organizers to race in the open, rather than the intercollegiate division, because of Dartmouth's overwhelming victory in the collegiate division two years ago, where it won "easily" -- classified as a victory by more than several boat-lengths of open water.
But the harder division did not stifle the team's confidence. "Of course we [still] wanted to win," said coach Barb Kirch.
The team easily won its first race on Saturday, June 19 by three-and-a-half lengths, sweeping the Dartmouth rowers into the semifinals the next day, where it faced an English combination team of Bedford and Staines.
The Staines part of the crew were members of the United Kingdom national championship team, just one step below its national team.
Despite facing the best England had to offer, the team fought hard until the end, losing by only two-thirds of a length, Kirch said.
The race against the English crew was effectively the chamionship, as Bedford and Staines went on to win in the final over another team by a margin that Kirch called "more than easily."
When asked if the team was satisfied Kirch said, "in some ways no because our expectations were higher."
But Kirch said the trip was still worth the investment the team member's made, each paying their own way to England.
"People had a good time," Kirch said. "The trip had value before we even started racing."
The trip is not an annual event for the women's crew team.
"It surprises me that we've done it twice in three years," Kirch said.
The Dartmouth boat was almost the same as this year's varsity eight, with a few substitutions from the junior-varsity squad.
The boat included Wendi Potter '96, Wendin Smith '94, Jenny Ellis '96, Marion Shonn '94, Stephanie Mann '94, Coxswain Lisa Boden '94, Allison Kornet '94, Katie Woodcock '95 and Nina Perlroth '96. Team members were not available for comment last night.
The Henleys concluded the season for the Big Green. Next year the team will look to improve on this year's fifth place finish in the Eastern Sprints.
"It's going to be another challenge," Kirch said. But added the jayvee and novice teams will fill in the gaps left by graduation.
The women's division of the Henley has an unusual history. Women used to race in the men's regatta. Then the regatta said they could not race together anymore, so the women branched off and started their own race.
However, this was only allowed with the stipulation that they had to race backwards, beginning at the finish line and race towards the start, so their spectators would not trample the prestigious finish line enclosure where fans sip champagne and munch on strawberries.
And, because organizers said women were to weak to race the entire 2,000 meters -- which is what the team normally races during the year -- the course was shortened to 1,500 meters.
Now the women can race from start to finish, but their shorter course still ensures the sanctity of the prestgious enclosure.