PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology rowing team completed an outstanding season with all three boats entered reaching a final event at the 2018 Dad Vail Regatta. The Dad Vail Regatta is the largest collegiate regatta in North America, with over 100 colleges and Universities from the U.S. and Canada participating. The regatta was held on the Schuylkill River on Friday and Saturday.
Leading the way for the Leopards was the Men's Junior Varsity Four boat, consisting of sophomore coxswain Sara Anderson (Manchester, N.H.), senior Padraic O'Sullivan (Upton, Mass.), senior Logan O'Donnell (Killingworth, Conn.), sophomore James Bednar (Kansas City, Mo.), and freshman Ben Coleman (Avon, Conn.). In the crew's time trial, Wentworth finished sixth out of 20 boats with a time of 6:33.071. This time advanced the Black & Gold to the semifinals on Friday afternoon where they placed third in their heat, finishing at 7:01.969 and advancing them to Saturday's second final where Wentworth finished first out of six boats with a time of 7:00.186. This marked the second season in a row this crew has medaled in this regatta after earning third place a season ago.
Freshman coxswain John Inman (North Grafton, Mass.) as well as sophomore John Parker (Fairport, N.Y.), senior Alec Boyle (Shirley, Mass.), senior Jacob L'Heureux (Saco, Maine), and sophomore Tyler Brinson (Lowell, Mass.) finished 11th out of 30 boats in the Men's Varsity Four time trial (6:25.623), which advanced the Leopards to the semifinals. In Wentworth's semifinal heat, they placed third out of six boats with a time of 6:48.015. In Saturday's second final, the Black & Gold earned a second-place finish after crossing the line in a time of 6:48.861. Wentworth's second-place finish was behind Division I Army West Point.
The Men's Novice Four boat also advanced to Saturday's final. Sophomore coxswain Emily Seslar (Plymouth, Mass.), freshman Zachary Gaudet (Dracut, Mass.), freshman Erik Fuhrmann (Charlton, Mass.), and freshman Noor Hassan (Lexington, Mass.) placed 12th out of 29 boats in the time trial (6:50.437), earning a berth in the semifinals. Wentworth's semifinal heat saw the Leopards saw the crew finish sixth (7:30.331) and, in the third final on Saturday morning, the Black & Gold placed third with a time of 7:10.816.
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