Snow covered the ground and boats when the crew arrived Saturday morning. The early morning temperature was 28 degrees.
Notre Dame Men's Rowing travelled to Spring Lake, Michigan this past weekend to compete against the top Midwest crews. Conditions were harsh, with temperatures in the low 30s, choppy waters, and strong winds.
Lubber's Cup is a round robin regatta, meaning there are no heats or finals, but rather all crews race each other and the winner is determined by overall time differentials. The 1V finished 5th, and the 2V finished 6th, both in a fiercely competitive field. The novice races for Sunday were cancelled, so no results are available.
Below are two rower reflections from this past weekend, one from varsity coxswain Katie Egan, and the other from novice rower Joe Gonzales.
"This weekend, the team travelled to Spring Lake, Michigan for the annual Don Lubbers Cup Regatta. We knew the conditions would be rough, so we prepared for the choppy water in the preceding week. The conditions were worse than we could have expected or prepared for, which turned the weekend into an excellent learning opportunity. We arrived to a regatta scene filled with snow-covered boats, frozen oar locks, and icy roads. While there were many delays in the regatta schedule, and some races were cancelled, we consider ourselves lucky for having the opportunity to compare ourselves to other crews.
In the 2V, we raced and beat DePaul and Case Western easily which slightly boosted our confidence for this week. However, we are especially motivated by our tie with Minnesota and losses to Michigan. Although the choppy water and strong winds make it difficult for us to know where we will stand next weekend at SIRA, we have been humbled by our losses and look forward to improving as a boat. The first spring race of the season always allows us to see how our winter training has prepared us for the racing ahead. Our results from the weekend have enabled us to develop difficult and challenging, yet attainable goals for our boat in the practices and races that remain.
Overall, it was definitely a regatta that we will remember!"
- Katie Egan
"As the first regatta of the fall season in which the entire crew could participate, conditions for Lubber’s Cup were less than ideal. However, in defiance of the freezing temperatures, glacial winds, and the consistent sleet that attacked Spring Lakes, Michigan this past Saturday, the excitement and the intensity of the regatta were higher than expected. The spectators who braved the elements to watch the regatta had the opportunity to witness a number of exciting races including my own where the Notre Dame 2N finished within two tenths of a second of Purdue, demonstrating the longstanding rivalry that is guaranteed to persist for the rest of the season. Notre Dame managed to establish itself as a rough water crew, probably due to the conditions that we row through on a daily basis on the St. Joseph River. I think our chances looking forward to SIRA’s are very good, and I am excited to watch the team improve over the course of the spring.
Having the opportunity to see other crews in person for the first time was a really valuable experience for everyone on the team. Lubber’s Cup gave us all a much clearer picture of what we are going to be up against for the rest of the spring. For me, it was the first tangible demonstration of what we are capable of after a grueling winter on the ergs. After talking with my teammates, I know that seeing the competition at Lubber’s has motivated everyone to work even harder on the water, always keeping ACRA’s in the back of our minds."
- Joe Gonzales