Lindamood called off: Marietta High’s annual regatta canceled, unlikely to be made up
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Joe Tewkesbury was hoping that the Muskingum River would be more of a race than an obstacle course for Saturday's annual Lindamood Regatta at the Harmar Rowing Club.
Last Saturday, the river was more of the latter in the Tiger Navy's season-opening tri-meet against visiting Parkersburg High and Parkersburg South as the schools braved the elements.
They won't get the chance to do so this time around as the Lindamood race has been canceled due to high water and debris caused by some wild spring weather.
"The river and weather have been nothing short of wicked for practices as cold temperatures, fast water, fog, and a February flood have cut the water time down to bare minimum this spring," Tewkesbury said. "The promise of smooth water and good racing conditions seen last week were short-lived as the Muskingum once again showed that it wasn't finished tormenting us.
"Rising to nearly 28 feet by Saturday and filling with logs, broken limbs, and other debris, it increased speed and accompanied by a south wind chopped the race course."
Even so, the row show went on as scheduled last week despite the docks being unfinished. That will not be the case this time around.
"The year began disastrously when the ice on the Muskingum destroyed the Marietta High School docks in early January," Tewkesbury said. "Fund-raisers and donations from friends, local groups, individuals, and organizations gathered enough money for the crew and Harmar Rowing Club to buy materials for parents and friends to spend many hours on weekends and evenings building nearly two hundred feet of new docks."
Perhaps amazingly, 14 of the 16 races were completed with only the boys varsity eight and a girls quadruple scull being cancelled.
"The teams competed until the winds and debris reached a point that further racing became untenable," Tewkesbury said. "Two Parkersburg shells were damaged by striking submerged logs. One four was able to continue racing while a crew in the boys varsity eight hit a log hard enough to shear the rudder and fin from their boat during that event.
"Although no one was in any danger, the loss of steering and the increasing wind and debris forced the decision to suspend further racing."
Tewkesbury said that "no one team dominated the competition" in the triangular.
"But," the coach added, "Marietta's two girls varsities battled each other in an intense, tight race as the girls lightweight varsity edged the closing girls heavyweight varsity eight by less than a length in rowing the fastest eight oared time of the day."
The Marietta girls' roster included Emily Bichard, Halie Blauser, Kaitlyn Brindle, Grace Brookover, Seneca Craven, Grace Crosby, Lexi Dalrymple, Lily Ditchendorf, Cami Felix, Isabella Freimann, Ahni Georgerian, Maddie Hawkins, Riley Hearing, Kya Lindsey, Reagan Loeber, Katie Morrison, Raygan Rader, Laura Rauch, Marie Rauch, Hannah Reynolds, Carli Robertson, Asleigh Rosen, Lauryn Simpson, Marisa Smith, Ashley Stewart, Abbi Westbrook, and Sydney Westbrook.
The Kindra Hecker-coached orange and black boys' roster featured Griffin Becker, Josh Collins, Elena Donnelly, Skylar Farrell, Marion Maxon, Brandon Ologeanu, Devin Potter, Hayden Reed, Christopher Ritchie, Andy Sands, Tristen Sealey, Jacks Sears, Peter Thomas, Gus Thompson, Liam Thompson, Gabriel Villarrueta, Tyler Warner, and Jackson Wesel.
"Marietta also won the girls lightweight four by 15 seconds with a well-rowed performance over Parkersburg and South," Tewkesbury said. "The Tiger boys won decisively in the novice eight as well as winning the novice four, both over Parkersburg."
At last year's Lindamood event, a USRowing registered regatta, the Marietta girls gold medaled in the light 8, second 8, freshman 8, and light 4. They silver medaled in the varsity 8 to Saint Joseph Academy, and got a bronze in the novice 8.
On the MHS boys' side, the Tiger boats earned a gold in the first varsity 4, and a bronze in the varsity 8.