The team easily met its goal of $8,000, exceeding last year's earnings by more than $2,000. The money raised will help to maintain and upgrade the team's rowing machines and purchase a new boat for the Novice Heavyweights.
According to senior Shawn Duff, vice president of the men's crew club, the Erg-a-thon has become a tradition for team members. “As an annual event, the Erg-a-thon has become a marker for the end of our indoor winter training and a last hurrah before we finally get outside and into the water,” he said.
This year, crew club alumni were invited to participate in championship erging rounds for the first time. Recent alumni invited included Ivan Baldychev, a 2006 graduate currently training for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Each alumnus competed in a 500-meter race, and more than 10 alumni participated throughout the afternoon, along with about 80 current crew club members.
Awards were given to the top fundraisers and the top rowers in each category. Varsity heavyweight winner Ryan Jornlin, a senior, set a team record at the event, rowing 4,540 meters in 15 minutes. This year's winners are listed below.
Events
Coxswain: freshman Tim Connolly
Novice lightweight: freshman Sean Rader
Novice heavyweight: freshman Owen Coyle
Varsity lightweight: senior Burke Wadsworth
Varsity heavyweight: Jornlin
Alumnus: Andrew Hanna, AS '03
Top fundraisers
Novice: freshman Alex McCreery
Novice: freshman Pat Kenny
Varsity: senior Peter Seymour
Varsity: Wadsworth
The men's crew team will compete in its first race of the season at the Murphy Cup in Philadelphia on Saturday, March 29. They will be competing against St. Joseph's University, Drexel University and UD rival Temple University.
For more information, visit [http://copland.udel.edu/stu-org/crew/index.html].
Article by Nicolette Blubaugh, AS '08
Photo by Mark Campbell