October 5, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

Crew Opens Season At Riverfront Regatta

Northampton, MA: The Smith crews opened its 2008-09 season with a full day of rowing under rainy skies at the Riverfront Regatta in Hartford, Connecticut.

In the collegiate eight race, which included the 2008 national Eight champion Trinity, as well as NEWMAC rival US Coast Guard, the Smith "A" boat coxed by Danielle Covatta (Accomac, VA) placed .02 seconds behind rival Mount Holyoke, setting up a challenge for this month's Seven Sisters Championship in Philadelphia.  The "B" boat, coxed by Mandi Taus (Wellesley, MA), finished 10th out of eleven.

The second collegiate eight finished in 5th place, again one place behind Mount Holyoke. In the varsity 4 event, members of the collegiate 8 "A" boat raced two fours . Coxswain Mandi Taus's boat raced to 6th place while the entry by sophomore Caitlin Eisenberg (Boston, MA) placed 9th out of 16.

The novice  8 crews with coxswain Janya Shea (Beverly, MA) and Rhea Kewalramani(Mumbaim Maharashtra, India)  placed 5th and 8th respectively out of 10 crews.

With strong performances in Hartford, the team is now setting its sight on going faster at the Head of the Charles and winningthe Seven Sisters Championship in late October.