The Raider boys and girls varsity rowing team traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn, to compete at the Head of the Hooch Regatta on Oct. 31, kicking off their national competitions this season. As one of the largest regattas in the country, the three-day-long event welcomed more than 8,000 athletes to the Tennessee River.
The team, which trains at the Miami International Rowing Club, spent months preparing for this regatta with rigorous daily practices.
“I row in the mornings for an hour before Early Bird, and after school, I go to practice for three more hours to row with the team,” junior Amanda Cardoso said. “It is a lot of work, but it will help me perform well in these national regattas that have many college coaches who could potentially recruit me.”
The team of six rowers competed over two days and brought home valuable experience from one of the most competitive regattas in the nation. The cold temperatures also challenged the athletes, who are used to racing in warmer weather.
“I think I did pretty well at Head of the Hooch, but it was very cold, so my hands kind of froze during my singles race,” junior Santiago Ugueto said. “I learned that it’s important to stay warm while racing, and as team captain, I learned that it’s important to make sure everyone is working well together.”
Each rower competed in an average of two events, though some—like Cardoso—took on more. She raced in four: a single, a double, a quad, and also coxed a four, representing Miami International Rowhouse. Over the three days, she rowed about 40 kilometers and placed 26th in her singles category out of dozens of athletes.
In the men’s youth double (U17), Lucas Cornide and Ugueto placed 49th, while Ethan Rosenwald and Bernardo Campos finished 99th out of 120 crews. In the men’s youth under-19 single, Lucas Osorio placed 23rd. In the U17 singles, Ugueto placed 24th and Cornide finished 17th—missing the top 10 by mere milliseconds. In the men’s youth U16 singles, Rosenwald earned a strong 15th-place finish.
“While I don’t think I did my best in my race, I learned a lot about teamwork since everyone spent all day at the trailers helping each other get ready,” junior Bernardo Campos said.
With short-distance (2k) spring races approaching, the team looks forward to a busy season filled with more regattas and national-level competition.
