Lakers Enter Dad Vail Prep Stage
Thursday, April 29th, 2010The Laker Navy leaves to prepare for the Dad Vail regatta this Friday. The team has concluded its final exams and will travel to Athens, OH to race at the MACRA regatta on Saturday, May 1. The Lakers hope to defend their team title that they have won for two consecutive years. The entire team will be travelling with the exception of the seniors that will be graduating. On the men’s side, the varsity eight will be missing several key members as they join their classmates for the commencement ceremony.
The Lakers will be hosted by the Ohio Valley Rowing Club on Friday and Saturday evening as they race in nearby Athens. Following the regatta, the squad will travel to Atlantic County, NJ for their Dad Vail Championship training camp. Host families will put the team up as they prepare for the prestigious regatta on May 7 and May 8. The Lakers enter the home stretch with several competitive boats. On the women’s side, the team will field a DI Varsity eight, a DII Varsity eight, a Frosh/Novice eight, and a DII Varsity four. On the men’s side, the Laker Navy will race a Varsity eight, a Frosh/Novice eight, a Varsity four, a Frosh/Novice four, and a Varsity pair. Final seedings and heat sheets are expected to be posted by May 3rd. While at the training camp, the congressman and mayor of Philadelphia will take the team out for a special luncheon. The following is a brief excerpt from a GVSU press release:
“On Monday May 3rd the GVSU rowing team will be meeting the Philadelphia Mayor Nutter and US Congressman Brady at world famous Geno’s (Philly Steak & Cheese) to welcome the team to Philly for the Dad Vail Regatta. There was a movement last summer to relocate this major regatta to New Jersey and the head rowing coach (John Bancheri) was helpful in getting the political folks to step up and keep the regatta in Philly.â€
Check in on the website for further details as the regatta approaches. You can find the hotel information and team itinerary on the front page of the website. The team welcomes any alumni or parents in the area to join the support crew at the alumni tent two hundred meters from the finish line.