Our performance today at HOTO was a satisfying way to end the fall season.

The women went first. This video shows most of the event of 26 boats. Sorry about the bad focus with the nearer leaves. We show up at 7:37. While filming, it’s impossible to tell which boat we are in the tiny camera screen (even at 20x zoom), so the coaches use binoculars. When I guess at boats being us, that’s by naked eye. It takes us a while to find you.

How did we do? The women placed 21st, but that doesn’t tell us much. The number we always use for year-to-year comparison (because conditions on the river change) is percent-behind-first. This year our time was 1.166 times that of first, so we were 16.6% back. Our best percent ever was 9.1% (13th) in 2012. Our best place ever was 11th in 2017, 11.6% back. Considering how young we are, we did really well.

The men got slotted-in at the back of the “lower” fours after a week of trying to salvage the 8. Considering they only rowed in that lineup once before Sunday, I’m satisfied with how it went. The percent-behind-first can’t be compared because we should have rowed with the “upper” fours. With all the illness, we were just luck to race.

To provide similar data to the women’s event, our best percent and finish ever came in 2017. We were 10th, 9.2% back. That crew had 7 seniors, and junior, and a sophomore. Even if we made huge progress, I don’t think we can beat that boat next year. But maybe we can in two years.

I only have two big regrets. First, the men didn’t get to race in the 8 and set a benchmark to previous seasons. The second is how many varsity didn’t get to race after all there work to get there. Get some rest during the dead period, and come back ready to chase those past crews.