DERBY, Conn. -- Yale lightweight crew marked its return to competition as a team for the first time since October 2019 on Saturday with four eights racing in the Men's Open Eight IRA event at the Head of the Housatonic. As there is no formal lightweight event, the Yale lights forgoed the weigh-in and competed against their heavyweight counterparts.
The Bulldogs earned a fourth-place finish behind three other "dog" crews, placing behind the Bulldogs of Yale's heavyweight 'A' entry (12:53.0), the Huskies of the University of Washington 'A' (13:16.2) and, edging Y150 by 9/10ths of a second, the Huskies of Northeastern 'A' (13:23.1 to 13:24.0).
Saturday's fourth-place finish marks a sign of the progress that Yale has made despite the challenges of pandemic training for the last year and a half. The Bulldogs' top boat at the 2019 Head of the Hous was eighth, making this year's finish -- behind heavyweight crews that have accounted for the last four IRA championships (Yale three, Washington one) -- all the more impressive. The Bulldogs finished ahead of a pair of boats from Brown in fifth and sixth places (13:25.1 and 13:40.5), followed by a Yale heavyweight boat in seventh (13:41.5).
"2019 seems like ages ago," said
Andy Card, Yale's Y150 Alumni Head Coach of Lightweight Crew. "The squad was happy to return four boats strong. For many of the guys, it was their first race wearing the "Y". It was a thrill for everyone to race it up at home in front of an amazing group of alumni returning to their favorite river for homecoming."
Yale's other three lightweight boats finished ninth (13:55.3), 11th (14:05.6) and 16th (14:46.5).
"[Assistant coach] Ned [DelGuercio] and I are pleased with the work and ethos demonstrated by the team, and though we have some ways to go yet, it's a good start and another successful page turned in the calendar," said Card.
The Head of the Housatonic is one of the largest single-day regattas in the country, with more than 40 events.
The Bulldogs race again on Oct. 24 at the Head of the Charles.
