Sculling News

Hank Moore & Ben Johnson training on Big Hosmer in July. The pair finished 4th in their Champ heat.

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SBTC Racing Concludes in Canada

08.Aug.2010

The 128th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta concluded today in Saint Catherine's, Ontario. With it, a number of athletes finished their summer season with the Small Boat Training Center and headed for home.

Saturday and Sunday were reserved for championship racing. Only athletes who have represented the US in international competition could compete in these events, and were actually excluded from the earlier events this week, so the crews which had traveled to Belarus for U23 World Championships got their first shot at racing after a week of spectating.

The initial heats of the Championship Men's Pair were contested on Saturday. Craftsbury had two entries in the race. Hank Moore and Ben Johnson finished 4th in Heat 1 in 6:51.57, and John and Peter Graves finished 5th in Heat 3 in 6:49.95. With only the top two crews from each heat advancing, the SBTC was locked out of the final.

On Sunday, Craftsbury put together an 8+ comprised of current and former SBTC athletes, with Katie Apfelbaum of Trinity coxing. Peter Graves stroked the boat, followed by John Graves, Hank Moore, Code Sternal, Alex Burjakowski, Ben Johnson, John Hood, and Tom Graves in bow. The first heat ended in heartbreak as the crew finished 4th, just 0.5 seconds out of 3rd and a spot in the final. Their time of 5:35.69 would have placed them second in the other heat, sandwiched between boats from the Canadian and United States National Teams - frustrating, no doubt, but hopefully the knowledge of a strong performance is some consolation.

That concludes a week of great racing at the regatta, and the U23 training season for the SBTC. Hank Moore, Ben Johnson, Elliot Skopin, Terrence Word, Alex Burjakowski, Nick Trojan, and John Graves will be headed back to their homes and college crews (don't worry, senior athletes will return to keep training with Larry!). Craftsbury is sad to see them go, wishes them the best of luck during the fall season, and hopes they'll come back to see us next year!