OCCOQUAN, VA November 1, 2009 - Virginia Boat Club members finished out the 2009 competitive season with great results at the Head of the Occoquan on October 31 and November 1. Twenty-seven club members made the trek north to compete against some of the best clubs in the Mid-Atlantic.
Although the weather conditions were less than optimal (rain and temperatures in the low 50s), VBC members focused on the racing and brought home two golds and a bronze.
The action started on Saturday with the Men's Grand Masters 1x. VBC member Tom Blake competed in a large field and rowed a fine time of 24:17 on the winding five kilometer course.
The rain on Sunday morning did little to deter the VBC sweep and sculling teams. In the Men's Masters 40-49 4+, the VBC A boat (Jason Rife, Steve Chilmaid, Steve Abbot and Joe Schinsky coxed by Katie Wood) took the bronze medal in 18:35 behind a strong Potomac Boat Club crew who won in 17:53. The VBC B boat (Olaf Barth, Ben English, Kyle Alford and Mark Willis coxed by Maura Norford) was fifth in 19:38.
In the Women's Lightweight 2x, Shannon Conner and Jen Harper rowed a nip-and-tuck race but took the gold medal with a 1 second win over the second place boat with a time of 20:22.
The afternoon events started with the Women's Club 4+. The VBC A boat (Molly Brannan, Erin Simon, Lyons Hardy and Julie Renstrom coxed by Maura Norford) started in the back of the large field and passed several boats to finish fifth in a time of 20:38, a minute behind the winning boat from Potomac Boat Club. The VBC B boat (Lauren Modny, Aimee Brand, Jess Kostick and Katherine Townsend coxed by Stephanie Kulakowski) rowed a strong race in a time of 23:21. This boat included three novices who were participating in their first major race.
The Women's Masters 40-49 4+ (Meredith Cofield, Kelly Kennedy, Jen MacArthur and Therese Willis coxed by Elaina Brennan) suffered through a 45 minute wait at the start in the cold rain. Once racing began, however, they rowed strongly to finish in 23:52.
In the Men's Masters 40-49 8+, the VBC crew (Rife, Chilmaid, Abbot, Schinsky, Barth, English, Alford and Willis coxed by Katie Wood) won the gold medal in a time of 17:30, eight seconds ahead of second place boat. Katie Woods' fine coxing with razor-thin passes and cutting the buoys closely was the likely margin of victory.
The Head of the Occoquan capped a great competitive season for the Virginia Boat Club. The VBC had contingents and took home honors at the Rocketts Landing Sprints, Charm City Sprints in Baltimore, the Occoquan Sprints, the Diamond State Regatta, the Masters Nationals, the Botanical Gardens Sprints, the Wye Island Regatta and the Occoquan Challenge. Congratulations to all VBC competitors!
