KP Rowing- Metropolitan Championships

Erin Mitchell '08 and Megan Fahey '08 on the course

Erin Mitchell '08 and Megan Fahey '08 with Admiral Stewart

Kings Point Rowing
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Metropolitan Rowing Championships – April 26, 2008
Team results

Kings Point Rowers continued to perform well in the pairs competition on Saturday at the Metropolitan Rowing Championships. Capturing a silver medal and 4th places respectively, the women’s and men’s pairs demonstrated strength amongst local competition. The Men’s Varsity finished fourth in their heat which unfortunately took the crew out of the medals round. An event that initially started as a local championship amongst Metro New York teams, the regatta has expanded to include sixteen teams from as far away as Albany and included larger teams such as Army and Fairfield University. The team was privileged to have ADM Stewart attend the regatta. Midshipman Candice Vermillion ’08 and Allison Davis ’08 graciously volunteered to take ADM Stewart to the regatta in one of the waterfront vessels.


The Women’s Pair of Meagan Fahey ’08 and Erin Mitchell ’08 took a rather unorthodox route on their way to a silver medal when at the 750 meter mark of their race they were forced to row off course to avoid a collision. While sitting only a half boat length off the leading crew of NYU and even with Fairfield, our rowing mariners did what they had to complete the race with the best finish possible. Poor steering on the part of both Fairfield and NYU brought those three crews off course. At the 1300 meter mark, Mitchell and Fahey made the decision to stall their boat and move around Fairfield and back onto the course and a second place finish. ‘We could have been right with NYU if we had not been forced out by Fairfield” said Mitchell who is the crew member that steers the boat. While the crew finally settled in at the 1500 meter mark, there was not enough room to get back with NYU and continued to distance itself throughout the 2000 meter course. “They really looked stronger than they have in previous races; this was to be their opportunity to strike gold. They rowed really well but it was unfortunate that they got fouled’ said Coach Derek Hartwick following the race. Fairfield was disqualified.
The crew of Steven Jones ’10, and Kyle O’Connor ’10 experienced similar circumstances in their Varsity Pair race but this time due to the poor judgment of the race referee. At the 1000 meter mark, the referee directed Hofstra and Kings Point to change direction to avoid a collision with the poorly steering Iona crew; in so doing, the referee steered those crews toward a hazard which caused Jones and O’Connor to run over a number of fishing lines and to slow considerably. Not having raced on the waters near Orchard Beach before, the pair also had additional difficulties getting back on a straight course for the last 500 meters. “We could have finished second if we were not steered in the fishing lines”, said Bowman Kyle O’Connor.

While rowing fast and posting the best time yet this season, the Men’s Varsity Four was unable to get into the final in their event. The crew of Coxswain Sarah Jones Stroke - Kyle O’Connor ’10, 3-Steven Jones ’10, 2-Sam Diedrick ‘10, and Bow-Jeremy Tunstall ’10 had difficulty handling the severe chop during the first five-hundred meters of the race. When the crew finally found their stride, it was able to regain some lost distance but not able to get into a qualifying position for the final. “The crew’s time of 7:02 would usually get a crew into the final, but not on this day. I think that our crew was in the faster heat and we had some difficulty with the conditions. With some good training, we’ll be ready for next week” commented Coach Hartwick.



The Men’s Novice crew of Coxswain Jonathon Gardner Stroke-Andrew Pfarner, 3-Scott Norris, 2-Russell Marihugh ’10, and Bow-Romulus Cirone ’10 had a setback this week with one of the team members experiencing an injury that prevented the crew from competing. The crew is expected to compete in the New York Rowing Championships next weekend.



The team travels to Whitney Point, NY on May 3 to compete in the New York Rowing Championships.


Men’s Varsity Four
Winning Time: 6:44
1st Fairfield
2nd Iona
3rd Binghamton
4th USMMA 7:02

Women’s Pair
Winning Time9:01
1st New York University
2nd USMMA 9:21
3rd Iona
DSQ Fairfield

Men’s Pair
Winning Time:
1st Hofstra
4th USMMA