Nov. 17, 2004

NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Sacred Heart closed a fall racing season at the Grimaldi Cup/Fall Metropolitan Championships at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY, on Sunday. Iona College, Hofstra U., Manhattan College, Fordham U., Stony Brook U., USMMA, Sarah Lawrence, NYU and Sacred Heart rowed their last regatta of the year in thirty-degree temperatures and 20-knot winds on Iona's 2000meter racecourse between Glen Island and Orchard Beach.

A gray sky, a blanket of snow and flurries at dawn led coaches and crews to assume racing cancelled, but host Iona sent notice indicating an adaptive schedule would allow at least a start to the day, beyond which weather would determine continuance.

Wind chills in the teens greeted crews' arrival at the regatta site, but a blue sky overhead had replaced a foreboding wintry atmosphere while crews set about in gloves, scarves and hats to unload and rig for racing. Brisk NW winds, forecast to build throughout the day, did as expected and until 12:30 pm at the turn of tide, joined a flooding westerly current, keeping the water manageable for the eights who raced first.

Varsity eights raced first, with Sacred Heart placing 4th in the six-boat fleet, ahead of Manhattan and Fordham's C boat. Fordham A and B and Iona finished ahead of the Pioneers in that order.

SHU's Novice eight followed Fordham by 7 seconds for a silver finish, 17 seconds ahead of Iona. Hofstra, Fordham B and NYU came next, with NYU a full minute behind Sacred Heart.

Varsity fours were run in three heats: Sacred Heart fielded two boats, placing 2nd and 3rd in heats B and C. Fordham continued to dominate as they had in all women's events.

Racing was then cancelled due to high winds and low tide. Sacred Heart crews who didn't get a chance to show their strength included the varsity lightweight four, two novice fours and a varsity pair.

Brian and Sheryl Daly (Ali's parents) hosted a beautiful dinner after racing at their home in nearby Rye, NY.