Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Boat of Choice?

This story about Radcliffe's Knecht Cup win notes that it was the V8's first race in a new lightweight women's hull from Resolute. This story about MIT's races last weekend notes the dedication of a new "size-appropriate boat for MIT lightweight women's crew." This boat, referred to as a "first-of-its-kind," also comes from Resolute. It looks like this boat is getting some traction among lightweight programs (BTW, I have no particular interest, financial or otherwise, in Resolute).

Although rumored to also be racing a Resolute, this picture of Wisconsin from Knecht shows them to be rowing a Pocock. This picture of Princeton from Knecht shows them to be in a Vespoli. Georgetown also appears to be in a Vespoli (not unexpected since Mike Vespoli is from Georgetown). Out West, Stanford is also in a Vespoli. I couldn't tell what UCF was in at Knecht.

Vespoli has a large US market share but with Resolute producing a new lightweight women's eight, it will be interesting to see who switches. I'm not sure what Radcliffe was rowing earlier this spring, but at the HOTC they raced a Vespoli, and when the fastest boat makes a switch, other crews usually pay attention.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

UCF borrowed an older vespoli from Wisconsin for Knecht Cup along with some oars from MIT. They usually row a cutdown vespoli that's almost 6 years old or a loaner pocock that's being borrowed for the moment.

UCF Lighties won't see a new boat for a while.

Anonymous said...

I second that moment. Pigs will fly before the UCF lightweight will recieve a new boat. (even a new used boat would be nice. but we did get new tracks last year:) )