United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Men's Crew - Bears Grab Pair of Bronze Medals at Head of Housy

SHELTON, CONN.--(10/6/07)--USCGA Crew medalled in 4 of 7 events entered at the Head of the Housatonic. The medal winners, in order of racing, included the Women's Collegiate 4+ (bronze), Men's Collegiate 8 (bronze), Women's Collegiate 8 (bronze), and the Men's Collegiate 4+ (bronze).

The Women's Collegiate 4+, with CGA having three entries, started off the day of racing under cloudy but humid conditions trying to defend their title from last year. In the end, the Trinity crew showed too much early speed for the Bears as they quickly closed the starting gap and the race found the Bears falling to third behind DII rival Dowling. The A Boat finshed third, out of 15 entries, three seconds ahead of fourth place finisher Mt. Holyoke and 8 seconds of fifth place USMMA. The CGA B and C boats finished 7th and 9th respectively.

In the Men's Collegiate 8's race, the Bears entered three boats, with all boats having had great races, finished in 3rd, 5th and 10th out of 14 entries. The CGA A boat posted a time of 14:32.2, finishing well off the pace of the winner Wesleyan and behind D1 rival Fordham.

After the lunch break, as the temperature and humidity began to rise, the CGA Women's 8, doubling out of the morning Fours race, entered in the Collegiate 8's race finished in third place out of 12 entries. Once again they found themselves unable to hold off a hard charging Trinity crew, who was the eventual winner, and slipped to 3rd place behind a strong DIII rival Mt Holyoke. Other DIII competition in the race included NEWMAC opponent Wellesley (5th) and NESCAC opponent Wesleyan (6th) as well as DII Dowling who finished in 4th.

Rory Keegan and Cate Gillen were entered into the Women's Open/Collegiate and competed in this race for the first time ever, after doubling out of the earlier morning fours race, and came away with a fifth place finish out of six crews entered, with a 2nd place result out of the 3 Collegiate doubles entered beating Skidmore College.

In the Men's 4+, doubling out of the morning Eights racing, the Bears once again garnered bronze out of 15 boats entered, finishing behind Wesleyan and Dowling in a hard fought race. The CGA B Boat finished in 4th.

In the Men's Collegiate Novice 8's, the CGA Novice Men had a great race but ran up against some stiff competition from DI programs Brown and Yale and DIII rival Trinity. The Bears eight finished sixth out of 13 crews entered, only 13 seconds behind Trinity, the only DIII school to finish ahead of the Bears and well ahead of USMA and USMMA.

And in the Womern's Collegiate 8, the Bears continue to show strong potential for the spring season, with all rowers experiencing the sport and racing for the first time this fall, by also posting a sixth place performance out of 13 entries including DI programs from Yale, Northeastern, and UMass Amherst; finishing behind DIII rival Trinity, the only DIII school to finish ahead of the Bears and well ahead of crews from Mt. Holyoke, Wesleyan, and USMA.

The Bears will now work on selecting the Men's and Women's Collegiate and Club Eights that will represent the Academy at the Head of the Charles, October 20-21 in Boston.