Masters are known for their endurance—it’s one of the good parts of aging—so we should build on our strengths. If you have worked on general strength and endurance in the winter, your periodization focus in April should be on improving your endurance. Rowing long distances at low rates may not be exciting, but it’s what is needed. Rowing with a partner or partners can help with the tedium. If speeds vary among the group, work in some turns rather than adjusting your rate and pressure. To keep your focus, insert a few 10s or 20-stroke sprints. You can also use interval training to build endurance. Row any predetermined distance, such as 500 meters. Record the time. Paddle the same distance and then repeat the interval, only pushing harder. Keep repeating the intervals until your times slow or your rowing begins to break down. Next day out, return to long, low-rate rowing. Maintain this focus for the remainder of the month while working on technique. In May, begin incorporating speed work, followed by an even greater focus on speed in June. After this periodization training, you will be well-prepared for racing.
Covering the course in 5:35.50 and breaking the record for the Crew Classic, the Bears earned 15 first-place votes to maintain their ranking. In Seattle, the University of Washington won all five races at the Husky Open, earning one first-place vote and a spot in second place. Yale University was third, while Princeton University and Boston University rounded out the top five.
In the lightweight men’s poll, Cornell University held onto its first place position with four first-place votes. Yale University had three first-place votes and was ranked second, while Harvard University was third. Princeton University and Navy finished fourth and fifth.
Stanford University earned four first-place votes and held its top position in the lightweight women’s poll after winning the Carley Copley Cup against heavyweight women’s eights at the Crew Classic.
With two first-place votes, Boston University finished second in the poll, followed by the University of Wisconsin in third. Georgetown University and Princeton University (one first place vote) rounded out the top five.
Heavyweight Men’s Eight
Rank | Team | Previous Rank |
1 | University of California, Berkeley (15) | 1 |
2 | University of Washington (1) | 3 |
3 | Yale University | 2 |
4 | Princeton University | 5 |
5 | Boston University | 6 |
6 | Harvard University | 4 |
7 | Northeastern University | 9 |
8 | Dartmouth University | 8 |
9 | Brown University | 7 |
10 | Stanford University | 11 |
11 | University of Wisconsin | 10 |
12 | Cornell University | 12 |
13 | George Washington | 17 |
14 | University of Pennsylvania | 16 |
15 | Columbia University | 14 |
16 | Navy | 13 |
17 | Syracuse University | 15 |
18 | Oregon State University | 18 |
19 | Florida Institute of Technology | 19 |
20 | Drexel University | 20 |
Others Receiving Votes: St Joseph’s, Georgetown, Hobart, Santa Clara, Gonzaga, Holy Cross, Virginia
Voting Coaches: Steve Gladstone (Yale), Geoff Bond (Penn), Phil Schmehl (Marietta), Todd Kennett (Cornell), Mark Davis (GWU), Gabe Winkler (Oregon State), Scott Alwin (Columbia), Paul Cooke (Brown), Mike Callahan (Washington), Greg Hughes (Princeton), Jim Barr (Holy Cross), Wyatt Allen (Dartmouth), Charles Stollenwark (MSOE), Charley Butt (Harvard), Mike Irwin (St. Joseph’s), Jim Grander (FIT)
Lightweight Men’s Eight
Rank | Team | Previous Rank |
1 | Cornell University (4) | 1 |
2 | Yale University (3) | 2 |
3 | Harvard University | 8 |
4 | Princeton University (1) | 5 |
5 | Navy | 6 |
6 | University of Pennsylvania | 4 |
7 | Columbia | 3 |
8 | University of Delaware | 7 |
9 | Georgetown University | 9 |
10 | Dartmouth University | 10 |
11 | Mercyhurst University | 12 |
12 | MIT | 11 |
13 | Purdue | 14 |
14 | Temple University | NR |
15 | University of California, Berkeley | 15 |
Also Receiving Votes: UC Santa Barbara, St. Joseph’s, Sacramento State, Washington State, Cal Maritime
Voting Coaches: Andy Card (Yale), Martin Crotty (Princeton), Lee Rumpf (Georgetown), Colin Farrell (Penn), Nich Lee Parker (Columbia), Shawn Bagnall (Navy), Sean Healey (Dartmouth), Charles Stollenwerk (MSOE)
Lightweight Women’s Eight
Rank | Team | Previous Rank |
1 | Stanford University (4) | 1 |
2 | Boston Unversity (2) | 4 |
3 | University of Wisconsin | 2 |
4 | Georgetown University (1) | 6 |
5 | Princeton University | 3 |
6 | MIT | 7 |
7 | Harvard-Radcliffe | 5 |
8 | University of Tulsa | 8 |
9 | Villanova University | 10 |
10 | Bucknell University | 9 |
11 | Purdue University | 11 |
12 | LaSalle University | NR |
13 | University of California, Berkeley | 14 |
14 | Washington State | 15 |
15 | Oklahoma State | NR |
Others Receiving Votes: Oregon, Clemson, Penn State
Voting Coaches: Malcolm Doldron (BU), Stephen Full (Georgetown), Rodney Mott (Tulsa), Kate Bertko (Stanford), Claire Matin-Doyle (MIT), Paul Rassam (Princeton), Sarah Baker (Harvard-Radcliffe)
Click here for past poll results