W. Crew to open with Navy, Georgetown

Most Penn students are still asleep when the women's crew team practices. Starting at 5:30 nearly every morning, the Quakers have been busy dedicating themselves to a winter of intense training to build up their strength and endurance for the spring season. The intense offseason training regimen included lifting, working out on the ergometer and running stairs five days a week. Saturday mornings were spent running Manayunk Wall -- a half-mile hill that basically climbs straight up. Even so, the Quakers conquered the wall, five times. "When you look at it, running it just feels impossible, but when you finish, it's the most incredible rush and feeling of accomplishment, and you know it was worth it," Penn co-captain Kealy O'Connor said. Even winter break was spent in training, including 10 days in Tampa, Fla. There, the team could train in the water, something that chilly weather just does not allow in December. "It's a team tradition every year, and it definitely helps us to do that in the winter because it allows us to get a feel for the water," freshman Claire Manske said. The varsity eight is coming into the spring season with a win at the Head of the Schuylkill, their last competition in the fall, capping off what was one of the best fall seasons in recent memory. "We had our most successful fall season to date. We want to carry that momentum of aggressive racing into each and every race this spring," O'Connor said. For the freshmen, valuable racing experience gained in the fall is something that they hope will give them a competitive edge this spring. "There's a difference between just rowing and racing," Manske said. "Now that the unexperienced rowers have that race experience [from the fall], it will only make us better." This Saturday, the Quakers will host Navy and Georgetown at home, with the Red and Blue currently holding a nine-year winning streak over Navy. "[We're looking forward to] seeing where we stand against Navy and Georgetown. This weekend will help to set the tone for the rest of the spring races," O'Connor said. The format of the spring races is different than the head races of the fall, with each race being shorter and faster. In addition, the teams now race head to head instead of the staggered-style in the fall, where crews began 10 seconds after one another. However, the Quakers are more focused on beginning their season strongly, and then building from there. "The first race is always important because it serves as a jumping off point for the rest of the season. We're looking forward to racing well," Manske said. The Quakers will be racing first and second varsity eights, first and second freshman eights, varsity four and freshman four in their first race on the Schuylkill this season. Adjustments and changes in the lineups are more than likely as the Quakers work to create their best boats.

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