When the Dartmouth men's heavyweight crew team puts its boats in the water this weekend at the Head of the Connecticut, the Big Green will not merely be embarking on their first race of the fall season, but will also be embarking on a yearlong quest for the national title.
With an experienced team, that has seven out of eight members from last year's top boat returning, this year's men's heavyweight crew clearly has its eyes set on winning a championship.
Although expectations are high, Captain Tom Gilmore '98 pointed out that the team will be aiming to progress steadily throughout the fall and get stronger as the year progresses.
Gilmore made it clear that early season race results are not necessarily as crucial as the practical experience they provide. But Gilmore did indicate that the team will be looking ahead to one key event this fall.
"For the fall we'll definitely be aiming for the Head of the Charles," Gilmore said.
The Head of the Charles, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious crew races, will be held during the weekend of October 21 and 22, in Boston.
Gilmore stressed the fact that the difference between this year's team and last year's team will most certainly be experience.
"Last year was a rebuilding year," Gilmore said. "There are a strong core of seniors that should provide the leadership that was lacking from last year's team."
Although last year's team was young and inexperienced, Gilmore admitted that it was still a disappointing year, considering that the men's heavyweights had been runners-up to perennial powerhouse Brown at the 1994 Eastern Sprints.
Gilmore expects tough competition from both Princeton and, defending national champion, Brown, but as far as he is concerned, this is Dartmouth's year. "This year we've got the guys to do it, so we're just gonna go for it," he said.
The men's lightweight crew will also be kicking off its season this weekend at the Head of the Connecticut, but unlike the heavyweight team, the lightweights have an inexperienced team and are hoping to build a strong foundation this fall for success in the spring and beyond.
"Even in a rebuilding year we tend to do well," Coach Dick Grossman said. "Experience is the key goal for the fall season. We have to establish a base and get everyone rowing well."
Captain Chris Schmidt reinforced the sentiments of Grossman.
"We have a large group of sophomores coming up who rowed with the freshman team last year," Schmidt said. "We're looking at fall to prepare for spring, not so much worrying about how we do, but looking to gain experience."
Gaining experience will be key for the lightweights, because they lost five members of their top boat to graduation. Although the lightweight team finished a respectable fourth at last year's Eastern Sprints, it was a let down coming off back to back championships in 1993 and 1994.
"It's hard to judge how we'll perform by looking on paper,"Schmidt said. "There are so many factors that go into it."
Coach Grossman added, "We're just looking to start conservatively and broaden our goals from there."
