Rowing visits Tulane invitational

Photo by Courtesy Alex Reis | The Rice Thresher

Rice Rowing Club men’s 4+ novice boat competed in New Orleans, La. last weekend. In their first 2,000-meter-sprint of the season, the boat finished second after Vanderbilt.

By Luke Samora 3/18/14 4:49pm

This weekend, the Rice University crew team traveled to New Orleans, La. to participate in a scrimmage against rowing teams from Tulane University and Vanderbilt University.

This weekend, the Rice University crew team traveled to New Orleans, La. to participate in a scrimmage against rowing teams from Tulane University and Vanderbilt University. The team finished third in the race behind Vanderbilt and Tulane, as both the varsity and novice teams competed in their first 2,000-meter-sprint races in four-man boats. The varsity team finished in third place while the novice team finished in second place.

The varsity and novice teams, each composed of four rowers and a coxswain, who sits at the front of the boat, both raced against Vanderbilt and Tulane. The novice boat consists of rowers with less than a full year of experience.

Freshman novice rower Lucas Bizzaro said the trip to New Orleans increased the team’s chemistry.

“It was my first race with the team, but it didn’t seem like it at all,” Bizzaro said. “You really feel part of a larger whole when you are screaming and yelling in your teammates’ faces and they are doing the same to you.”

Bizzaro said the team suffered because the other two programs had the upper hand in experience.

“You are tying your hands behind your back when you face a team that has been rowing together [for] four years and you haven’t had the same experience,” said Bizzaro. “Hopefully the team can get to that point one day. All we have to do is work at it.”

Senior varsity captain Alex Reis said the trip was an overall positive experience for the team, especially for the novice rowers.

“Overall, the trip to New Orleans was a good experience,” Reis said. “It gave the team some time to really get to know each other. I was really surprised with the novice team’s result. They came together and showed some chemistry despite not even rowing with each other for a year.”

Although the team does not have any races on the schedule this weekend, they look to continue preparing for the Southern Intercollegiate Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge, Tenn., which begins on April 18.