The WPI Men's Varsity Eight earned a medal during the 45th annual Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston last weekend after an impressive fourth-place finish in the Collegiate Eight event. As the world's largest two-day rowing event, this year's Regatta attracted more than 7,500 athletes from around the world to compete in 55 different races. WPI's team placed ahead of 34 other boats, including several representing world-class Division I programs.
The WPI boat included Hank Moore (Jaffrey, N.H.), Ben Johnson (Northford, Conn.), Arthur Gager (Kennebunk, Maine), Sebastian Cohn (Orinda, Calif.), Jeff Onderdonk (Colchester, Conn.), Ricky Holak (Windham, N.H.), John Madura (Hewitt, N.J.), Tobin McGee (Rye, N.Y.), and coxswain Brenna Colleary (Southborough, Mass.). The Engineers' time of 15:54.4 was only 0.1 seconds behind third-place Grand Valley State. Trinity College edged Williams College by just under two seconds to win the event.
The Varsity Eight's medal capped a strong performance for both the WPI men's and women's programs. The Women's Varsity Four placed 9th out of the 29 boats, while the Men’s Second Varsity Eight finished 19th out of 46 competitors. Other strong showings were registered by the Women's Varsity Eight and the Men's Varsity Four.
WPI Crew will close out its fall season next weekend with a slate of exciting events; on Saturday the team will host the Quinsigamond Invitational for Novices on Lake Quinsigamond here in Worcester, and on Sunday they will head to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for the Head of the Fish Regatta.
