Crew squads to conclude fall season on fast course

On Saturday, the fall crew season will conclude with a slightly unique invitational regatta, the Belly of the Carnegie.

The Belly of the Carnegie, hosted by Princeton University, is restricted to collegiate crews and offers a different kind of regatta experience.

This format is a dramatic change from the large regattas, such as the Head of the Charles, that the Quakers have been racing in thus far in the season.

The Red and Blue will send all three of their rowing programs --the men's lightweight and heavyweight teams and the women's team -- to compete in Princeton.

Of course, the smaller size regatta is no guarantee that things will run smoothly. In fact, with so many novice rowers and coxswains competing, it tends to result in some interesting situations.

While Lake Carnegie is a smooth, man-made course used during the summer to train the United States National team, there are also curves that are difficult to maneuver and many narrow areas that are potential pratfalls.

"It's a tough course to steer," junior Emily-Jane Previti, a former rower, said. "Our coach warned the whole team before the race, not just the coxswains."

But sometimes the warning is not enough.

"Inexperienced coxswains inevitably crash into each other," junior Gabriella Quadrini said.

And there are plenty of inexperienced coxswains, as many of them only have one or two months experience on the water under their belt. Since, crew is a sport that attracts many walk-ons, most of whom have never rowed before, the lack of experience should be a factor. While the Belly of the Carnegie is a good chance for the freshmen to have the spotlight, it also presents some challenges.

"The downside is there are no older kids to help," Previti said.

However, while the race is plagued by the occasional mishap, the overwhelming presence of freshman does add excitement.

The regatta requires each program to enter equally matched boats -- the boats are not stacked and labeled as "A boat" or "B boat."

"You can judge program strength, but you never know," freshman Michael Guichon of the lightweight crew team said.

"One crew could have nine amazing guys and have seven guys who can't row."

Due to this format, the Belly of the Carnegie is a chance for coaches to try out combinations that would never row together in a more conventional competitive situation.

The most unusual aspect of the regatta is that every program competes for the Belly Bowl Cup, which is awarded to the school with the best combined times of lightweights, heavyweights and women.

This is the last chance for the Penn crew teams to hit the water this fall. The Quakers' seasons begin again in the spring.

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