The Rutgers Crew hosted Bucknell to close out the fall racing season on Saturday 11/1, enjoying a breezy day with more than a dozen boats on the water. Bucknell brought six eights to race, featuring four varsity crews and two freshman/novice crews. The Rutgers coaches were excited to launch seven eights, with four varsity crews joining Bucknell’s top four boats. This top group dueled throughout six 1,000-meter pieces between Route 1 and the Turnpike. Amidst windy conditions and a current moving out to the bay, the two teams enjoyed a competitive workout, with Rutgers boats winning many of the pieces.

The freshman/novice group included two Bucknell boats and three Rutgers crews that competed across a 500-meter stretch between Route 1 and the Donaldson Park boat ramp. The Rutgers freshman crews showed encouraging signs of early speed while lining up for the first time against an opposing team.

During the prior weekend, the team traveled to Philadelphia to test their mettle at the Head of the Schuylkill. Rutgers brought three boats eager to race after the cancellation of the Navy Day Regatta. The first Rutgers boat stepped up into the Championship Eight division, with an encouraging placement for the team’s opening race. After countless head race-style workouts this fall, the second varsity put their practice to the test, passing eight crews en route to a solid finish in the Collegiate Eight category. The third varsity boat demonstrated the depth of this fall’s team, showing great improvement from last year’s racing.

The team looks forward to three more weeks on the water this fall. The varsity will jump into the “Points” system, with two groups of four boats rowing randomized lineups each day. The individuals in the winning crews will accumulate points, ideally yielding data on the best boatmovers before Thanksgiving.

The novice group will look to build upon their strong showing with Bucknell in preparation for the spring racing season. With three boats of promising athletes, the group is set for a great month ahead. The team looks forward to upcoming race pieces between the novices and the varsity.