Harvard trailed Marist for most of the race but pulled away to win by three-quarters of a length.
“We knew if we just continued to raise the ante they’d break,” Manning said.
This year’s freshman boat is the second straight to close the season with an Eastern Sprints title and a Temple Cup.
“Both classes are going to have a very huge impact for the next two years on Harvard rowing,” Pommen said.
Sister Act?
One of the British papers, The Telegraph, made an unflattering comparison between the Williams sisters of tennis and the Harvard ‘A’ and ‘B’ coxed fours in the Britannia Cup, in describing the ‘B’ boat’s comfortable victory.
“Rowing’s equivalent of the Williams sisters had clearly read the script: a fluffed start from the ‘A’ four gave Harvard ‘B’ an opening that they promptly seized, taking, and never surrendering, the lead,” the paper wrote.
Riffelmacher flatly denied the Telegraph’s assessment of the race.
“Everyone in the 2V is far too competitive to ever do anything along those lines,” he said.
Going the Distance
The Telegraph also reported that the Old Edwardian Boat Club of South Africa, which fell to the Crimson in the Ladies’ Plate semifinals, needed to stage their own version of “The Full Monty” in front of family and friends to raise funding for Henley.
“Well, knowing that some people go to such lengths to attend Henley shows how special an event it is,” Riffelmacher said.
He and the Harvard rowers who received funding to attend Henley understand not to take anything for granted.
“The team deeply appreciates the funding we get from the Friends of Harvard Rowing and the University and without their generous support I do not think that it would have been possible to have each crew perform as well as it did last weekend,” Riffelmacher continued.
End of the Line?
This weekend’s Henley performance marked the 40th anniversary of Harry Parker’s Crimson coaching career. The Harvard rowers couldn’t have found a better present for him than three Henley titles.
“To have someone with that experience coaching you really helps you during the year and especially during a regatta,” said sophomore Kip McDaniel of the first varsity boat. “You’re really confident with what you’re doing and you don’t have to question the coach at all. It’s a treat.”
Parker is always the subject of retirement rumors, but judging by words he said to his athletes, he won’t be leaving anytime soon.
“[Harry] said himself that he won’t quit until he doesn’t enjoy it anymore,” McDaniel said. “I think that’ll be at least another 10 years.”