Saturday, May 1
Boston, Mass.
6:36 a.m.
Columbia
at
Northeastern (Woodbury Cup/Beanpot Regatta)
Women's Rowers 'Bring Mel's Cup Home' with Win Over Northeastern in the Beanpot
5/1/2010 6:00:00 PM | Women's Rowing
BOSTON — The Columbia women pulled away from Northeastern in the final 200 meters to win The Beanpot varsity eights on the Charles River, giving them possession of the Woodbury Cup for the first time since it was established in 2005.
"This was a lot more than just a boat race," head coach Melanie Onufrieff, her voice brimming with emotion, said shortly after the race. "It means a lot to a lot of our alumnae. We can bring Mel's cup home now."
The Woodbury Cup, for competition between Columbia and Northeastern, was inaugurated in the spring of 2005, established by her teammates in memory of Melanie "Mel" Woodbury '96BC, 1996 Columbia captain and MVP. She was killed in an automobile accident in Ritzville, Wash., in December 2002. The Lions won the inaugural race for the Cup in 2005, but had lost four straight to the Huskies.
Recently, Northeastern's turn to host the Cup had been incorporated into The Beanpot regatta, which admitted Columbia as the only competing school not from the Boston area. So when the Lion and Huskies varsity eights took to the water Saturday morning, they had company — Radcliffe (Harvard), Boston University, Boston College, and MIT.
Although the race featured six boats across, it very quickly evolved into a three-boat affair with Columbia, Northeastern and Radcliffe. The Huskies, coached by former Columbia head men's coach Joe Wilhelm, quickly moved out to a slight lead, and held it through three-quarters of the 2000-meter race.
With 500 meters to go, though, Columbia and Radcliffe caught up. The boats were dead even coming down the stretch over the calm waters of the Charles River.
They were still even with fewer than 250 meters to go. With about 200 left, though, Columbia made its move. The Lions pulled into the lead, and then extended it. Both Northeastern and Radcliffe bit into the water, but they were unable to catch the Lions.
Columbia pulled across the finish line first, in 6:43.18. Northeastern was second, just 2.37 seconds behind in 6:45.55, followed less than a second later by Radcliffe, at 6:46.38. BU, BC, and MIT followed.
"That was an exciting race," Onufrieff said. "I'm not surprised it was so close. We seemed to have the best purchase [in the last 200 meters]."
Columbia's rowing success extended to its three other boats, which posted a first, second and third.
The second varsity eight netted the first place, as it took the lead in the second 500 meters and never relinquished it, again to Northeastern and Radcliffe. In fact, Columbia's 2V was pulling away at the conclusion, winning by open water, nearly eight seconds, over Radcliffe.
In the third varsity eights, it was Northeastern's turn to pull away. The Huskies established a lead in the first 500 and maintained it. Columbia and Radcliffe kept swapping the second spot down the course, until the final 200 meters or so.
That's when the Lions went out in front and barely held off Radcliffe to win by less than a second.
In the varsity fours, it was the same trio of Columbia-Radcliffe-Northeastern again, but for second place, as B.U. easily boasted the fastest boat. Radcliffe took second by five seconds over Columbia, with Northeastern seven seconds back in third.
Looking back on the racing, Onufrieff marveled at the parity demonstrated among Columbia and the two other chief contenders, Northeastern and Radcliffe.
"These were all good crews," she said. "It only takes a few strokes to be the faster crew in a race, and we had some of those strokes at exactly the right times.
"There was good racing on the Charles today, good execution from all of our boats."
And Mel Woodbury's cup was coming home.
The results:
The Beanpot and the Woodbury Cup
Columbia, Boston College, Boston University, MIT, Northeastern, Radcliffe
May 1, 2010
Charles River, Boston, Mass.
Note: Radcliffe won the Beanpot with 43 points, and Northeastern was second with 40. Columbia rowed as a guest, not eligible for the points trophy.
Varsity Eights
1. Columbia, 6:43.18
2. Northeastern, 6:45.55
3. Radcliffe, 6:46.38
4. Boston U., 7:00.53
5. Boston C., 7:10.84
6. MIT, 7:10.84
Columbia awarded the Woodbury Cup, for varsity eights competition between the Lions and Northeastern
(The Columbia Varsity Eight: Jen George-Nichol, cox; Nikki Bourassa, stroke; Katie Mitchell, 7; Francesca Crozier-Fitzgerald, 6; Meredith Mead, 5; Samantha Warren, 4; captain Rebecca Hasley, 3; Bailey Griswold, 2; Kate Haley, bow)
Second Varsity Eights
1. Columbia, 6:54.49
2. Radcliffe, 7:02.33
3. Northeastern, 7:06.95
4. Boston U., 7:12.42
5. Boston C., 7:26.77
Third Varsity Eights
1. Northeastern, 7:18.89
2. Columbia, 7:22.53
3. Radcliffe, 7:23.27
4. Boston U., 7:40.64
Varsity Fours, A
1. Boston U., 7:44.01
2. Radcliffe, 7:51.33
3. Columbia, 7:56.35
4. Northeastern, 8:03.45
5. Boston C., 8:06.35
"This was a lot more than just a boat race," head coach Melanie Onufrieff, her voice brimming with emotion, said shortly after the race. "It means a lot to a lot of our alumnae. We can bring Mel's cup home now."
The Woodbury Cup, for competition between Columbia and Northeastern, was inaugurated in the spring of 2005, established by her teammates in memory of Melanie "Mel" Woodbury '96BC, 1996 Columbia captain and MVP. She was killed in an automobile accident in Ritzville, Wash., in December 2002. The Lions won the inaugural race for the Cup in 2005, but had lost four straight to the Huskies.
Recently, Northeastern's turn to host the Cup had been incorporated into The Beanpot regatta, which admitted Columbia as the only competing school not from the Boston area. So when the Lion and Huskies varsity eights took to the water Saturday morning, they had company — Radcliffe (Harvard), Boston University, Boston College, and MIT.
Although the race featured six boats across, it very quickly evolved into a three-boat affair with Columbia, Northeastern and Radcliffe. The Huskies, coached by former Columbia head men's coach Joe Wilhelm, quickly moved out to a slight lead, and held it through three-quarters of the 2000-meter race.
With 500 meters to go, though, Columbia and Radcliffe caught up. The boats were dead even coming down the stretch over the calm waters of the Charles River.
They were still even with fewer than 250 meters to go. With about 200 left, though, Columbia made its move. The Lions pulled into the lead, and then extended it. Both Northeastern and Radcliffe bit into the water, but they were unable to catch the Lions.
Columbia pulled across the finish line first, in 6:43.18. Northeastern was second, just 2.37 seconds behind in 6:45.55, followed less than a second later by Radcliffe, at 6:46.38. BU, BC, and MIT followed.
"That was an exciting race," Onufrieff said. "I'm not surprised it was so close. We seemed to have the best purchase [in the last 200 meters]."
Columbia's rowing success extended to its three other boats, which posted a first, second and third.
The second varsity eight netted the first place, as it took the lead in the second 500 meters and never relinquished it, again to Northeastern and Radcliffe. In fact, Columbia's 2V was pulling away at the conclusion, winning by open water, nearly eight seconds, over Radcliffe.
In the third varsity eights, it was Northeastern's turn to pull away. The Huskies established a lead in the first 500 and maintained it. Columbia and Radcliffe kept swapping the second spot down the course, until the final 200 meters or so.
That's when the Lions went out in front and barely held off Radcliffe to win by less than a second.
In the varsity fours, it was the same trio of Columbia-Radcliffe-Northeastern again, but for second place, as B.U. easily boasted the fastest boat. Radcliffe took second by five seconds over Columbia, with Northeastern seven seconds back in third.
Looking back on the racing, Onufrieff marveled at the parity demonstrated among Columbia and the two other chief contenders, Northeastern and Radcliffe.
"These were all good crews," she said. "It only takes a few strokes to be the faster crew in a race, and we had some of those strokes at exactly the right times.
"There was good racing on the Charles today, good execution from all of our boats."
And Mel Woodbury's cup was coming home.
——
Maggie Sullivan, Mel Woodbury's co-captain, was on hand in Boston to accept the Woodbury Cup from Northeastern. She was one of those who led the campaign to establish the cup.——
Its regular season concluded, Columbia will now prepare for the EAWRC Sprints, which will be held Sunday, May 16 on the Cooper River in Camden County, N.J.The results:
The Beanpot and the Woodbury Cup
Columbia, Boston College, Boston University, MIT, Northeastern, Radcliffe
May 1, 2010
Charles River, Boston, Mass.
Note: Radcliffe won the Beanpot with 43 points, and Northeastern was second with 40. Columbia rowed as a guest, not eligible for the points trophy.
Varsity Eights
1. Columbia, 6:43.18
2. Northeastern, 6:45.55
3. Radcliffe, 6:46.38
4. Boston U., 7:00.53
5. Boston C., 7:10.84
6. MIT, 7:10.84
Columbia awarded the Woodbury Cup, for varsity eights competition between the Lions and Northeastern
(The Columbia Varsity Eight: Jen George-Nichol, cox; Nikki Bourassa, stroke; Katie Mitchell, 7; Francesca Crozier-Fitzgerald, 6; Meredith Mead, 5; Samantha Warren, 4; captain Rebecca Hasley, 3; Bailey Griswold, 2; Kate Haley, bow)
Second Varsity Eights
1. Columbia, 6:54.49
2. Radcliffe, 7:02.33
3. Northeastern, 7:06.95
4. Boston U., 7:12.42
5. Boston C., 7:26.77
Third Varsity Eights
1. Northeastern, 7:18.89
2. Columbia, 7:22.53
3. Radcliffe, 7:23.27
4. Boston U., 7:40.64
Varsity Fours, A
1. Boston U., 7:44.01
2. Radcliffe, 7:51.33
3. Columbia, 7:56.35
4. Northeastern, 8:03.45
5. Boston C., 8:06.35
Players Mentioned
COX
/ Women's Rowing
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