Junior Savannah Crawford Competes in Rowing

Natalie Kaiser editor-in-chief

This year, junior Savannah Crawford competed at the one of the world’s largest three-day regattas: Head of the Charles. The event takes place annually, dating back to 1965. This year over thirty countries participated; filled with youth, collegiate athletes, and professionals. The race consists of three miles of rowing on the Charles River in Boston, Massachussettes. Boats are sent in flights, meaning that they leave fifteen seconds apart and race against the clock. The race consists of five different bridges, one having the hardest turn in racing and another famous for boat crashes. “We [Eugene Rowing Club] placed 20th,” said Crawford.

Events that are high-stake, like the regatta, require many days of preparation and hard work. The team started preparing during the summer, while waiting for an invitation. Crawford said, “We trained six days a week and did a lot of studying the course.”

Crawford began rowing only a year ago, after her coach asked her to try out, yet her hopes to continue in university are big: “We’re training for regional championships this spring and hoping to qualify for the national championship in June!”

Rowing at an event filled with so much excitement may interest people. Crawford said, “There’s plenty of opportunities. If someone is interested in rowing they should definitely try out a free trial and see what it’s like. The team environment is super welcoming. The team is great and it’s so fun to meet new people.”