<p>Will you be going to Worcester, MA this weekend for the rowing championships? I may see you there if you do!</p>
<p>Boss: sorry to say I have to sit this one out....just can't fit it in. </p>
<p>We have the vet coming to the house at 9 for little annabelle's rabies shot- and then I am heading up to CT for Salisbury v. Kent lax game to make sure the thorpedo gets a few in the goal- and then a mad dash back to LI for the CSH-Manhasset lax matchup and revenge for the 2 OT loss last season....so passing Worcester up this year...</p>
<p>but I will be at the Dad Vails for sure next weekend- and what may be the last race of our daughter's career! After 8+ years she can't wait to hang her oars up for awhile and sleep in!!!! ;)</p>
<p>Do let me know if you are going!</p>
<p>Ok I understand. I have been watching the lacrosse show on MSG and it looks very intense esp. on LI.</p>
<p>We don't participate in the Dad Vaills...we have the ECAC National Invitational in Worcester May 13-14.</p>
<p>Best of luck at the ECAC's! </p>
<p>Dad Vails, if you ever get a chance, is the quintessential college rowing event in the USA- just about every D-1 program is represented- and a few other invites too- you can't believe the amount of trailers that pack in along Kelly Drive in Phili- from one end (Falls Bridge area) all the way to Boat House Row- every spare inch of space is filled with trailers, boats, rowers and vendors- and races that span 4 full days (Thurs-Sun) from sunup to sunset- just amazing. Trying to find your school's trailer is the major challenge of the day- usually our daughter's team gets assigned to space around the "Three angels"....</p>
<p>ah, the end of this road is nearly here- so sad! (but I will get a few more free weekends added to my year, thats for sure! ;) )</p>
<p>Enjoy every minute of your son's rowing years- they are wonderful, and they fly by so fast!</p>
<p>PS- Lacrosse is HUGE on long island- probably bigger than football- lucky for us, our son has played since he was 5, and plays very well. His old HS, Cold Spring Harbor, played against their rival Manhasset last night under the lights and WON 9-7, which is HUGE! So after his game in CT (Salisbury beat Kent), we rushed him down to LI to catch the game, and we are so glad we did, especially as he was part of the team that sent Manhasset into second OT last year on 2 occassions, including the LI championships, losing both to one-point sudden death OT's- heartbreaking! It was standing-room only last night, 7 deep, for the game- around the entire field- perfect night, even if it did take nearly 2 hours to empty out the parking lot! It was taped- no doubt for the telecare station- so if you see it posted, might want to pop in for a look! For CSH, it was like winning the world series!</p>
<p>Thanks navy2010 for the update and info. </p>
<p>Happy to report my son's novice crew won the Bronze Medal(3rd place) in the New England Championships and have now qualified for the ECAC National Invitational which is the national championships for Div. III, Div. II and Div. ! non-scholarship schools. Among his competition will be Univ. of Texas, Ohio State and Univ. of California at San Diego-yikes!</p>
<p>Congratulations on a great finish! That will be sure to keep your son hooked for a few more years! U of SD- LOL!!! Our daughter's former boatmate graduated last year and is now coaching their novice program! They are tough!</p>
<p>Have fun! I'll be at Dad Vails Fri for heats, and hopefully Sat for semi's.....and maybe, just maybe, finals! You never know!</p>
<p>Well well well. You guys just go right ahead and monopolize this whole thread why don't cha. I can hardly stand it! I want in. I'm gonna go buy me a kid somewhere that does crew. $50 bucks a week and all the food you can eat to the first taker. Arrrrggg. Those Coastie guys/gals turn me green with envy. I want one. Congrats to them!! They keep amazing me. When will the big National Invitational happen?</p>
<p>JM gets in the mix! HA! The nationals are this Saturday and Sunday with some 34 schools participating including big names such as Michigan, Texas, UVA, UNC-Chapel Hill and of course USCGA! Watch out for those novices!</p>
<p>LOL!!! JM, you are too much! you can come and row anytime with me! I have a daughter I can lend you too, if all that testerone down there is getting to you! </p>
<p>So our daughter's graduation ball is coming up next week- and the biggest concern is NOT the Dad Vails, or her boat....it's how she's gonna get rid of all those callouses that have been building up on her hands for the last 8 years in time for her big event! Too funny! </p>
<p>Boss- you behave yourself at the regatta now! No punching holes in the competetion's shells! No river swimming! And make room on the trophy case for another medal...have a feeling another one is coming your way!</p>
<p>As for me, I will savor every last meter of her very last race...and pray that the crab gods will stay away and that their boat will run a straight course! This has been an unbelievable ride!</p>
<p>Have fun! (JM- if you have nothing to do this weekend, venture up to phili! You won't believe your eyes!)</p>
<p>Looks like we are all in for some really nice rowing weather! :(</p>
<p>Based on your years of experience, how often and under what conditions do they cancel races? Both the DV and the ECAC are national events with teams coming from all over the place so I'm thinking they will try to get them in.</p>
<p>Cancel? did you say cancel??????
LOL!!! (navy2010 rolls on floor!)</p>
<p>The only time the boats are taken off the water is for lightening- and then they wait for 20 minutes before resuming. In our 8 years there have been a few lightening delays, but never a cancellation of an entire regatta- a few events perhaps get scratched, but the races inevitabley continue- too many boats from too many places to send them home packing!</p>
<p>True story: our daugher's first D-1 regatta, Fall- the connecticut river- pouring rain- bitter cold weather- several boats (singles, doubles and one eight) even flipped- they cancelled the "small" events but the college eights forged on-</p>
<p>her boat, I kid you not, was almost even with the waterline when they finished the 4 miles- they were literally "bildging" the water out of the boat everytime they came up to the slide, creating a wave that crested over the cox! imagine the weight of that boat! amazingly, they came in first place in the novice eights......and she came off the water (this was the second of 2 hotseated events for her) after nearly 3 1/2 hours on the water so hypothermic that she spent and hour in the firetruck with heated blankets to warm up! </p>
<p>They officially closed the regatta about an hour later- but only after the final HW eights completed all their events!</p>
<p>moral of the story: always be prepared for the worst.....enjoy the sunny ones....never cancel your hotel reservations.....don't leave just because of a few lightening strikes (the boats will return!)......and enjoy every last minute of them!!!!!</p>
<p>-final race, final regatta, DONE! Allie has officially hung up her oars...at least for now! ;)</p>