Bay View Women's Rowing Wins Big at the Mayor's Cup Regatta

“It’s not a beach day, but it’s a great day for rowing," U.S. Rowing Officials Peter Carabillo said. "I’ve never seen it as flat as it is right now.”

The conditions on the Seekonk River were fantastic for a regatta on Saturday morning as the Narragansett Boat Club hosted the Mayor’s Cup Regatta.

The races ranged between 2,000, 1,500, and 1,000 meters in distance, which changed based on the category of rower racing in each event. Masters rowers are adult crews that are usually beyond college row the 1,000 meter races. The young whippersnapper division (also known as  "juniors") refers to high school aged rowers who rowed the 1,500 meter races. The 2,000 meter races were raced by a category of rowers known as “open,” meaning that all age groups can enter.

Long hours on the rowing machine and practice on technique paid off for several crews, especially the St. Mary’s Bay View crew, which finished first in both races it entered. George Calise, father of sophomore Julia Calise, said that much of the year’s success has been due to coach Albin Moser who he says the women “adore and respect.”

In the eight woman boat (eight rowers and a coxswain man this boat) Bay View finished both first and second, beating Great Bay and Narragansett crews. Although the woman had the advantage of rowing on their home course they won due to a strong combination of skills which have served them well this season.

Both Bay View coxswains executed a great race plan, which included holding a straight point and minimizing any extra distance which might be made by making any unnecessary turns. This is a bit harder than it sounds as the race course is not lined and seems to bow shoreward due to the curve of the shoreline. Secondly both boats jumped off the start and gained distance on the rest of the field within the first 20 strokes, which is a strong psychological boost.

The body of the race was filled with crisp technique in the “A” boat (coxswain Morgan Morris, stroke seat-Haley Pare, 7 seat Maura Flanagan, 6 seat Chelsea Robin, 5 seat Erin O’Connell, 4 seat Kendall Trautman, 3 seat Julia Calise, 2 seat Juliette Risica, and bow seat Danielle Riggin )which finished first. There were less crisp but strong strokes in the “B” (coxswain Caitlin Ponko,  stroke seat Emmi Hodess, 7 seat Emma Hanlon,  6 seat Erin Dolan, 5 seat Diana Lucey, 4 seat Laura Poulton, 3 seat Virginia Liberto, 2 seat Christine Abram, and bow seat Lindsey Sanford) boat, which finished second. Both boats finished with open water, meaning no boat was beside them at the finish.

The women’s high school fours saw a much larger race which had entrants from Dublin School, Cape Cod Crew, Great Bay Rowing, Narragansett Rowing Club, and the Norwich Free Academy. The single Bay View boat which was entered was manned by coxswain Bethany Biszko, stroke seat Haley Pare, 3 seat Maura Flanagan, 2 seat Chelsea Robin, and bow seat Danielle Riggin.

Rowing at noon, the women in the four raced just as the wind began to pick up, but you would not know that the boat encountered any additional challenges. Finishing with open water, the women were well poised and strong from beginning to finish.