Lightweight Rower Cops Collegiate Indoor Rowing Championship
3/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Lightweight Rowing
BOSTON, MASS. ? It's a long time between the end of the fall collegiate rowing season and the resumption of the sport in the spring. Too long for Columbia men's lightweight Nick La Cava.
Like most modern rowers, he spent the time practicing on the ergometer. But just practicing wasn't enough for the junior from Weston, Connecticut, he needed a goal. The C.R.A.S.H.-B, the "world indoor rowing championships", provided one. La Cava joined thousands of fellow rowers who flock to Boston each February for the revered event ? "races" consisting of set pieces on ergometers.
Last year, in his third C.R.A.S.H.-B, La Cava finished third. This year, however, he won, finishing first among 73 college rowers in the Collegiate Division of the Lightweight Open Men's Event!
"It's definitely been a big goal of mine," La Cava said. "I'm really proud of winning it."
"Our spring races are far away [during the winter]," La Cava explained. "The C.R.A.S.H.-B forces me to train harder. It's sort of a checkpoint for me, I look forward to it."
La Cava's coach, Scott Alwin, had never sent one of his rowers to the C.R.A.S.H.-B, and wasn't sure at first how Nick would do there. "[But] as I watched him pull pieces on the erg in January," Alwin said, "I thought he would do well."
If you've ever worked out on an ergometer, you know it isn't exactly quiet. Multiply that by several dozen in an enclosed area, Boston U.'s Agganis Arena, and you have an idea of how difficult a test the C.R.A.S.H.-B can be.
"Agganis Arena is Boston University's ice hockey arena," La Cava said. "They cover over the ice, and divide the arena, half for competition, half for warming up. There are 70 ergs, so it gets pretty loud."
As scores of spectators looked on, shouting encouragement, the rowers began their "race".
"A screen shows everyone's progress," La Cava explained. "As you're rowing, you can see it. Who's ahead, who's behind, who's in first place." If there was any doubt, a public address announcer calls the race as well. "When I finished, I knew I'd won," Nick said.
He was timed in 6:19 flat, fourth among the 101 Lightweight Men's rowers, but first among collegiate rowers. Georgetown's Scott Dotto was second, three seconds behind in 6:22, with Warren North of Gonzaga third in 6:23.8.
La Cava began rowing in the eighth grade. He honed his skills while competing for Phillips Exeter Academy, and was a key member of the varsity lightweights last season. Expect that to continue.
"As a coach," Alwin said, "I talk of increasing your odds of winning, leading up to the race. Doing well on the erg is the single biggest thing you can do to increase your odds of winning!"
Like most modern rowers, he spent the time practicing on the ergometer. But just practicing wasn't enough for the junior from Weston, Connecticut, he needed a goal. The C.R.A.S.H.-B, the "world indoor rowing championships", provided one. La Cava joined thousands of fellow rowers who flock to Boston each February for the revered event ? "races" consisting of set pieces on ergometers.
Last year, in his third C.R.A.S.H.-B, La Cava finished third. This year, however, he won, finishing first among 73 college rowers in the Collegiate Division of the Lightweight Open Men's Event!
"It's definitely been a big goal of mine," La Cava said. "I'm really proud of winning it."
"Our spring races are far away [during the winter]," La Cava explained. "The C.R.A.S.H.-B forces me to train harder. It's sort of a checkpoint for me, I look forward to it."
La Cava's coach, Scott Alwin, had never sent one of his rowers to the C.R.A.S.H.-B, and wasn't sure at first how Nick would do there. "[But] as I watched him pull pieces on the erg in January," Alwin said, "I thought he would do well."
If you've ever worked out on an ergometer, you know it isn't exactly quiet. Multiply that by several dozen in an enclosed area, Boston U.'s Agganis Arena, and you have an idea of how difficult a test the C.R.A.S.H.-B can be.
"Agganis Arena is Boston University's ice hockey arena," La Cava said. "They cover over the ice, and divide the arena, half for competition, half for warming up. There are 70 ergs, so it gets pretty loud."
As scores of spectators looked on, shouting encouragement, the rowers began their "race".
"A screen shows everyone's progress," La Cava explained. "As you're rowing, you can see it. Who's ahead, who's behind, who's in first place." If there was any doubt, a public address announcer calls the race as well. "When I finished, I knew I'd won," Nick said.
He was timed in 6:19 flat, fourth among the 101 Lightweight Men's rowers, but first among collegiate rowers. Georgetown's Scott Dotto was second, three seconds behind in 6:22, with Warren North of Gonzaga third in 6:23.8.
La Cava began rowing in the eighth grade. He honed his skills while competing for Phillips Exeter Academy, and was a key member of the varsity lightweights last season. Expect that to continue.
"As a coach," Alwin said, "I talk of increasing your odds of winning, leading up to the race. Doing well on the erg is the single biggest thing you can do to increase your odds of winning!"
Tuesday, April 20
Thursday, March 28
Sunday, April 08
