Women’s crew competed fiercely at the New England Rowing Championships (NERCs) in Worcester, Mass., on Saturday, with the 1v taking third place behind the MIT Engineers and Tufts Jumbos. All three boats advanced through preliminary heats, but only the 1v competed in the grand finals, as high winds and incoming thunderstorms canceled the remaining races.
The 2v and 3v that didn’t get a chance to compete in the Grand Final felt frustrated, according to 3v coxswain Ayanna Keshav ’28. “[Those cancellations] were hard for us, because we had gone into this weekend really hoping that we would know where we stood against some of these really competitive crews,” she said. “We definitely learned a lot [in the heats], but at the same time, it felt like we didn’t get the answer we were going into the weekend looking for.”
The 3v decided to approach the heats more conservatively, saving its energy for the grand finals, according to Keshav. “We’re proud that we knew there was more in the tank,” she said. “We’re really excited to unleash it this weekend and at NESCACs.”
All three boats came second in their heats, with times of 7:08.688, 7:21.074, and 8:23.607 for the 1v, 2v, and 3v boats, respectively.
The 1v’s lane placement especially disadvantaged the boat during the final, according to 1v coxswain Ariana Oppenheimer ’26. “We were in the middle of the course, so we were getting hit with more wind,” she said.
Despite the tricky conditions, Oppenheimer focused on appearing composed during the race. “A lot of what I was thinking about was — even though I was internally super stressed — projecting calm,” she said. “I’m still in charge of eight rowers, and even if I’m stressed, they need to know that I’m handling it and they can count on me for that.”
Despite the unyielding weather, the Ephs persevered, medalling with a time of 8:11.535. During the first 1,000 meters, the Ephs remained in close proximity to the Jumbos and Wesleyan Cardinals, just behind the Engineers. The Jumbos ultimately surged ahead of the Ephs, who finished 15 seconds behind.
Oppenheimer credited the medal to the Ephs’ resilient mindset going into the race. “If you’re getting hit with a gust of wind, everyone on the field is getting hit with that same gust of wind, so it’s about being the team that handles it the best,” she said.
Claire McDonald ’26, bow seat of the 1v, said that this positive team spirit extends far beyond performance on the water. “Our coaches Paula [Thoms] and Eileen [Russell ’19] and our captains have been really prioritizing how we can improve culturally as a team, creating a really safe team environment, whether we’re practicing on the water, lifting, or on the ergs indoors in the winter,” she said. “I think focusing on the culture has made us flourish in every way possible … and that work has really been reflected in our performance on the water.”
After a long day on the water, there was one more challenge in store for the Ephs. On the way home, the bus broke down. They ended up spending three hours in a parking lot waiting for another bus to arrive. But, like the weather, this setback didn’t stop the Ephs from having a good time. “We were all hanging out in the parking lot and racing each other in shopping carts,” McDonald said. “It was a goofy time. We were able to make the most out of the situation.”
The Ephs will return to Worcester this weekend for the National Invitational Rowing Championship, which is also the NESCAC Championship. If crowned NESCAC champions, they will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, N.J., from May 29 to May 31.
