Lowell Crew Takes on Springs Sprints

Logan Bledsoe Earned a Medal for Lowell Crew at the GR Spring Sprints

After brushing six inches of snow off their cars on Saturday morning, Lowell Crew Club members were off to row. Not on the water, although that could’ve been an adventure. No, they competed at an indoor ergatta, set at FHC where 16 different thousand-dollar ERG rowing machines were set up for races that went from sprints to 2000 meter races.

Lowell competed along with Rockford, FHC, Northview, FHE, Spring Lake-Grand Haven, FHN, and Grand Rapids Rowing Club in the indoor event.

It’s a pretty daunting event that’s been going on since 2002, even absent a high number team in East Grand Rapids. Rowers face the crowd, standings set up behind them, and battle for first place on the stationary machines. On the water, you're out there, alone with your thoughts and your team. Here, everything is right on top of you.

 
To add on, FHC’s rowers, well over 100 strong form their own student section. Together with the parents crowding in front of the athletes, it makes for a pretty chaotic event.

Lowell took fourth place overall as a team, out of the eight schools in attendance, finishing behind GR Rowing Club, Rockford, and FHC.

The highlight of the morning was Logan Bledsoe who placed third in the lightweight novice men's race. He finished seven seconds off his personal record (PR), but his third place finish earned him a medal. It was Lowell's first at the Spring Sprints in 17 years.

Connor Rapson and Patrick Hoke broke their own school records in their respective events they set last month, and nine rowers placed top t0.

Full Results
Logan Bledsoe -3rd Lightweight Novice Men (7 seconds off PR)
Lily Collins- 4th Novice Women (11 seconds off PR)
Connor Rapson - 6th Lightweight Men (broke his own school record by 4 seconds)
Patrick Hoke - 6th Open Men (broke his own school record by 2 seconds)
Jacqui Hoke - 8th Novice Women (9 seconds off PR)
Mara Carbines - 9th Open Women (10 seconds off PR)
Brooke Shellenbarger- 9th Lightweight Women (13 seconds off PR)
Grace Brower - 9th Novice Women (7 seconds off PR)
Gabs Stodola - 10th Coxswain (6 seconds off PR)

Other rowers to compete were Emerson Vriesman and Lily Bergeron, who shaved 20 and 18 seconds respectively off their PRs. Maya Kemp, Nick Duursma, Andi Rottier, Emma Bolt, and Gabriel Selover also shaved time off their PR while Gigi Gates-Dupree rowed right at her PR.