Oct. 20, 2004

The Dayton women's rowing team begins its 2004-05 season in style at the Head of Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Mass. on Sunday.

The Flyers will race in the collegiate eights that are scheduled to begin at 12:33 pm on Sunday. UD will be the 15th out of 50 boats in the competition and start just 15 seconds after A-10 rival Rhode Island.

"It will be a great challenge for us to chase them down," Head Coach Geoff Dillard said. "We finished last year in 13th place, and I feel we are sending a boat this year that is just as competitive as last year's boat."

Representing Dayton are six seniors, two juniors and a sophomore. Coxswain Amber Iwais (Cleveland, Ohio), stroke Alena Eichenseher (Madison, Wis.), 7-seat Katie Lesko (Dayton, Ohio), 6-seat Lisa Price (Centerville, Ohio), 3-seat Anson Brennan (Fort Thomas, Ky.), and bow Emily Poles (Boston, Mass.) make up the senior class at the Charles. They will be joined by juniors, 4-seat Elizabeth Gerber (Wilmette, Ill.) and 2-seat Marie Doenges (St. Mary's, Ohio) as well as sophomore 5-seat Monica Lange (Cincinnati, Ohio).

"The girls have been battling each other for the past week, to earn a spot in our eight and have the honor to race at such a prestige race with such a large and competitive field," Dillard said. "The girls will do their best to represent our entire team and University the best way they know how."

Head of Charles, now in its 40th year, is the world's largest two day rowing event. The race was established by the Cambridge Boat Club on Oct. 16, 1965 with in influence of Harvard sculling instructor Earnest Arlett. Arlett proposed that a "head of the river" race similar in tradition to races held in his native England, be held on the Charles River. "Head" races, a class of regattas, are generally three miles long-boats race against each other and the clock, starting sequentially approximately fifteen seconds apart. Winners of each race receive the honorary title of "Head of the River" or, in this case, "Head Of The Charles."

The 2004 Head of Charles regatta will be comprised of 24 events over two days. Fans can view the action from along the three-mile race course at eight different locations. Click on the link above for a map of the locations.