High Point, NC – The United States Naval Academy’s women’s rowing program concluded its week long training camp in High Point on Saturday with a string of boat race scrimmages that saw the Midshipmen dominate West Point (Army) on Oak Hollow Lake.
Boat racing took place in eight and four-man rowing shells and Navy won each match up in decisive fashion.
While the Army – Navy rivalry is one of the biggest in college sports, in an intriguing twist this was the historic first ever match race encounter between the two rowing programs.
“Any time Army and Navy get together to compete it is a big deal,” says Navy head rowing coach Joe Schlosberg, adding that Oak Hollow Lake is an ideal setting for a training camp despite the past week’s cooler than average temperatures.
“Every one in High Point has been so welcoming to our rowers and that makes a difference,” says Coach Schlosberg.
The Naval Academy selected Oak Hollow Lake as its base camp for the second consecutive year for its protected waterway and the South’s normally temperate climate at this time of year.
“The fact that these two stories rowing programs somehow ended up in High Point to race each other for the first time is an immense personal reward to our High Point Rowing Club and all the volunteer efforts of our rowers and parents to make Oak Hollow Lake such a rower friendly venue,” said club founder Gene Kininmonth.
High Point Rowing Club loaned the Navy Crew motor boats for coaching during their stay and when one broke down High Point University stepped in to assist with an additional coach boat. High Point Rowing Club also hosted the Navy Crew to a potluck dinner in its Jamestown Erg Room during the week.
The Navy squad returned to Annapolis, MD after Saturday’s races where they will make final preparations for the Murphy Cup in Philadelphia next weekend.
