Oct. 24, 2004
BOSTON, MASS. -- The Columbia varsity lightweight crew struck the first blow for Light Blue Rowing this fall when they placed a strong fourth in the Lightweight Fours race at the famed Head of the Charles Regatta on the Charles River.
Rowing the 2.5-mile course in 12:58.189, Columbia was the second college boat in its race, finishing 6.2 seconds behind Cornell, which captured second place with a time of 12:51.924. The Ottawa Rowing Club was first, in 12:26.740, and Undine Barge Club was third in 12:57.902.
"We rowed an excellent race," head lightweight coach Marc DeRose said. "It's one of [the lightweights'] best races in the Head of the Charles in recent history. It guarantees us entry into next year's race.
"We were the second college crew to finish, and we beat crews from Georgetown, Navy, Delaware, Harvard, and Fordham." The Lions, who competed as the Kings Crown Rowing Association, also topped several clubs, including the Don Rowing Club, fifth, and the Penn AC, sixth. There were 12 boats in the race.
The Columbia boat consisted of senior Michael Cummings (Princeton, N.J.), stroke; sophomore James Brescoll (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.), 3; senior Milos Tomic (Belgrade, Serbia), 2; senior Ted Eckert (Buffalo, N.Y.), bow; and sophomore Jenny Ronis (B-Shaker Heights, Ohio), coxswain.
Rowing success is nothing new to the second seat, Milos Tomic. Just two months ago, he teamed with Veljko Urosevic `03 and two others to win the "B" Final and place seventh for Serbia-Montenegro in the Men's Lightweight Four at the Olympic Games.
Columbia will compete in the Head of the Schuylkill in Philadelphia next Saturday.
