Oct. 24, 2005
BOSTON, MASS. -- The temperature was cold in Boston, and strong gusts swept across the Charles River. But weather conditions didn't bother the Columbia women's rowers. Nor did much else, as Columbia rowed to 13th place in a 47-team field, as the celebrated Head of the Charles Regatta opened the collegiate fall rowing season Sunday, October 23.
Coming off a strong season last year, head coach Melanie Onufrieff's first at Columbia, the Lions looked good once again. They were timed in 17:36.875 for the Women's Championship Eights+, better than all but 12 boats in the huge field. Among only collegiate crews, Columbia finished 10th, out-rowing such schools as Dartmouth, Duke, Radcliffe, Northeastern, Cornell, Navy and Rutgers.
"We rowed a solid race," Onufrieff said, obviously pleased. "As early as it is in the season, we wanted a couple of good strokes today, and that's what we got. This was a good start." The solid showing probably qualified Columbia for an invitation to next year's Head of the Charles.
US Rowing's Princeton Training Center-based crew, headed by former Columbia men's lightweight coach Tom Terhaar, won the race in 16:34.633. Princeton's collegiate crew was second in 16:50.069.
Next Saturday, October 29, the Columbia novices will make their collegiate debut in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta in Philadelphia.
The Columbia Women's Eight:
Cox - Alyson Baker, Jr.-BC, Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Stroke - Jeanne Harfield, Jr.-CC, Ottawa, Ont.
7 - Libby Peters, Sr.-CC, Utica, N.Y.
6 - Kira McMenamin, So.-CC, Harrington Park, N.J.
5 - Anastasiya Kobtseva, So.-BC, Dracut, Mass.
4 - Tally Pucher, So.-CC, Riverdale, N.Y.
3 - Maria Lissitsyna, So.-BC, Mahwah, N.J.
2 - Katie Bucien, So.-CC, Shelby Township, Mich.
Bow - Madeline Hartzell, So.-CC, Stillwater, Minn.
CC - Columbia College BC - Barnard College
