PHILADELPHIA – The university of Pennsylvania women’s rowing team dominated the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta on Saturday, achieving a remarkable feat by winning both gold and silver medals in each of the five divisions it entered. The Quakers’ performance marks a notable early-season success for the program.
Penn’s success at the Schuylkill Regatta underscores the team’s strength and depth,with multiple boats consistently finishing at the top of their respective fields. Head coach bill Manning highlighted the exceptional team spirit and competitive drive as key factors in their performance. “PWC enjoyed another exceptional Head of the Schuylkill Regatta,” Manning said. “The City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia rowing community and Boathouse Row, our alumnae, and the weather all turned out to make a great day.The team won Gold and silver in each event we entered. We improved upon last year’s performance.”
In the Frosh/Novice Fours, Penn’s ‘A’ boat finished first with a time of 14:06.165, followed closely by the ‘B’ boat at 14:51.001. The Championship Fours saw a similar result, with the ‘B’ boat taking gold in 13:34.855 and the ‘A’ boat securing silver in 13:42.288. A total of 56 boats competed in this division.
The Quakers showcased their dominance in the Frosh/Novice Eights, winning with a time of 12:53.545 – a decisive 30 seconds ahead of second-place UConn (13:24.299). In the Club Championship Eights,Penn secured first,second,and fourth place,with times of 12:40.967, 12:57.557, and 13:15.198 respectively, only being challenged by UConn’s top boat.
The final event, the Championship Eights, saw Penn’s ‘B’ and ‘A’ boats claim the top two spots with times of 12:25.572 and 12:31.823, respectively, out of a field of 27 boats. Penn’s ’C’ boat finished fifth (12:50.396) and the ‘D’ boat eleventh (12:59.490).
“These are early days,” Manning cautioned. “But if we build from this, develop, and aim high we can achieve good results this spring, to.”
