..history..

varsity women's pair win the Bronze - Dad Vail Regatta 1999
by Jill (Hoffmaster) O'Keefe

At Dad Vails 1999, Rhiannon Morgan and I were rowing the pair, which we started rowing only 2 weeks before. Because our feet were too small for the steering mechanism on the shoes, we had taped the shoe to the footplate before the race. At the start of the heats, the starter informed us that we would be disqualified if we cut the turn at the bridge or didn't finish in our lane.

About 500 meters into the race, the follow boat screamed at us, "Georgia Tech, if you cut the red buoy you are disqualified!!" Because I was rowing bow, I turned around and saw the buoy about 2 boatlengths ahead. I screamed at Rhiannon and she plunged her oar in the water, turning us almost 90 degrees. The buoy went under our riggers, but we made it...

After making it to the finals, we were a little more confident, especially after hearing Harriet's "Powerful Beyond Measure" speech by Nelson Mandela. We had a decent start and made it through the bridge ok. In the last 500 meters, though, we realized that we were several lanes over. We made a made dash for our lane, while trying to hold our place. We finished 3rd, only inches away from 2nd, which we would have had if it weren't for the 45 degree course towards the finish line.