The Row New York squad came up big this weekend at the Head of the Passaic in Lyndhurst, New Jersey! The crew of Danna Matute, Abre Bokhari, Emma Buford, Shannon McCann, and Kalieha Nozile won the Varsity 4+ event! Our second entry of Claudia DiMaio, Veronica Castillo, Jenee Small, Kiera Keegan, and Alexa Presto vanquished all other opponents as well to finish second in the same event. The full results are available here: http://www.hopr.org/result/Event19.pdf
This win was the first head race victory in program history. Even more impressive, victory was attained in “perhaps the worst conditions we’ve seen in program history,” Head Coach Previn Chandraratna said. The crews battled against gales of 25 to 35 miles per hour to power their way to the finish line.
In addition, rowing in their first head races ever, the Varsity 4+ of Tenzin Khangkar, Anny Sainvil, Monique Avin, Samantha Valez, and Anya Cullen took 12th of 19 in the Varsity 4+. The crew of Deanna Piedra, Alaura Zayas, Emily Xhaferi, Monique Avin, Kimberly Bush, Anita Guaman, Paige Nichols, Darragh Kilgallen, and Kassandra Nevarez bested Swan Creek and Port Rowing in the 8 boat event – both great results for athletes that have been rowing for less than 12 months.
Previn reported that “team dog and spokesman Seymour, who was not in attendance, had this to say: ‘Is there any of that pasta left?'”
In all, it was a great day and a sign of good things to come. This weekend the V4 heads to Boston for the Head of the Charles. Stay tuned!
