The Bucknell Men rowed to their best finish at the Head of the Charles since 2013, finishing 12th out of 37 programs in the Collegiate Eight. Conditions in Boston proved difficult, with sustained winds in the low 20’s, with gusts up to 30 miles per hour. Despite rough water early on the Bison powered past a number of crews, catching the University of Minnesota quickly, then taking advantage of calmer waters to get past Boston College as well. A strong middle section of the race saw Bucknell move from 14th place at an early checkpoint to as high as 9th place coming into the Eliot Bridge. As the crew tried to take the rate up and sprint towards the line they found it challenging as a 30+ mph headwind greeted them around the last turn.
The Bison would finish in a time of 16:39.4, half a second off of Williams College who finished 3rd at last years NIRC Championships, and 2 seconds ahead of ACRA competitor Grand Valley. The eight was rowed by Mike Pallotta ’18, Thomas Marth ‘19, Nick Barpoulis ’17, John Leasure ’19, Billy Pinamont ’17, Dillon LaFata ’18, Andrew Stonnington ’19, Sam Jubb ’17, and was coxed by Cami Berlin ’19.
Joining the Bucknell undergraduates on the race course this past weekend were several alums; former Olympian Brett Wilkinsen ’98, former US National Team Rower Andrew Neils ’08, David Rhodes ’92, Karl Geoca ’96, John Kauffman ’11 and Connor Corwen ’14. Wilkinsen raced under the Virginia Rowing Association in the men’s master double and posted a 10th place finish, and competed in the same event as Rhodes who rowed for Undine Barge Club and finished 13th. Geoca finished 41st in the Men’s Club 4 event rowing for Genesee. Andrew Neils had a great race in the Master’s Single on Sunday, and finished 2nd overall! Corwen raced for Fat Cat rowing in the Men’s Championship four and finished in 16th place. And Kauffman raced in the Directors’ Challenge Mixed 8 for Baltimore Rowing Club and finished 25th.
The Bison will race next at the Rutgers Fall Classic, on the Raritan River in New Brunswick, NJ, on Sunday November 6th. We look forward to a big crowd at our last race of the fall!