Week 7 - May 7, 2007
To TC Williams Rowers, Parents and Boosters:
 
Congratulations to everyone who rowed in the Ted Phoenix Regatta last weekend.  And thanks to everyone who made the Dance and Car Wash great successes.
 
Saturday's Big Event is the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Championship at Sandy Run Park on the Occoquan.  The Virginia Championship features public and private schools from around the Commonwealth.  Now that there's no separate National Capital Area Championship, there are also some DC private schools in the mix.  Northern Virginia schools still dominate, though we'll also see schools from the Tidewater area, making this a true state championship.  
 
Racing starts at 9:00 am, and it's an all-day affair, with 58 races scheduled.  There's a schedule on our website.  TC Williams is entered in the first, second and third 8's and the girls' lightweight 8.
 
All but the lightweights will have qualifying heats in the morning, with finals in the afternoon.  The last heat is at 12:37, followed by a 30-minute break during which they'll dedicate the grandstand sunshade in memory of the late TJ coach Eric Rothstein.  Finals start at 1:07.  The major events - 1st eights and fours - have "petite" finals, the consolation race for 7th through 12th place.   The top finishers get points toward the team trophy. 
 
For the bus schedule, check with your coach.  Don't be late.  Every rower should bring a water bottle and hold on to it.  Pack a snack, unless you want to stand in line at the concession stands.  There will be food on the bus (water and Gatorade, sandwiches and wraps, banana bread, etc).  Don't forget sunblock, even if it's cloudy. 
 
Spectators.  Directions to Sandy Run are on our Web site.  Allow plenty of time.  The Sandy Run parking lots ($10), including the remote lot at Hampton and Van Thompson Roads,  are expected to be filled by 9:30, so you may be directed to a remote lot at Rt 123 and Old Bridge Road.  When you get to the park it's a long walk through the woods to the viewing area.  Food is available from the concession stands, or you can pack your own picnic.  Do not bring the dog -- they're not allowed in Sandy Run Park.  There's no tent, so look (and listen) for the TC fans in the grandstand area. 
Stotesbury.  Next weekend (May 16-17) is the Stotesbury Cup in Philadelphia.  As of today, TC is entered in the first, second and junior 8's, the girls lightweight 8 and the boys freshman 8.  Keep in mind that 8th graders can't compete at Stotesbury, and junior 8's can't have any seniors on board, so there will likely be some lineup changes.  Rowers who are going to Stotesbury will leave on Thursday.  Because of the number of participants, the regatta starts with time trials on Friday morning.  They race against the clock, and the top finishers advance to semifinals.  Semis start at 4:00 Friday, and finals start at 1:00 Saturday afternoon.  You can check the schedule here, and look here for more information on the regatta.  There will be more details in next week's Hotline.  An article in the New York Times from April 18 gives you the flavor of the race site.  Click here.
Congratulations to Cara Donley and Zach Whitacre, recipients of the Alexandria Sportsman's Club's Outstanding Athlete Awards.  They will be honored at the Club's Awards Banquet on May 21. 
Going to Canada?  Don't be caught short without proper documents if you're going to the CSSRA Championship.  To get into Canada you will need proof of citizenship and identity.  A valid passport or NEXUS card is ideal;  if you don't have either, you will need a government-issed photo ID (e.g. driver's license) and proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or expired passport.  Children under 16 only need to show proof of citizenship.  Getting back into the US is likely to be more of a hassle than getting into Canada.  Coaches are talking to team members to try to make sure everyone going to Canada has proper ID.   And let Jeff Byron know if you're interested in getting a hotel room for the Canada Championship.  
LINKS: 
This message comes from Alexandria Crew Boosters.  If you don't want to see it again, if we should be sending it to a different e-mail address, or if you're having trouble with the format and prefer to receive it in text-only form, just hit the "reply" button and let us know.  If others you know aren't getting their own copies, ask them to send us their email addresses.  Our e-mail lists are strictly private, and individual e-mail addresses are never revealed to the list. As always, the very latest information can be found at www.tcwcrew.org.  And remember ... GO T-C!
cb