By David Fierro
Brunswick School’s crew team finished in second place in the Men’s Youth Fours category at the 58th annual Head of the Charles Regatta, recently.
The Bruins crew was comprised of senior coxswain Lucas, senior stroke Henry Andren, senior Mark Kakoma, junior Reed Eddy and sophomore bow George Kapp.
Brunswick was the top placing school at the Head of the Charles Regatta, losing only to a strong club crew from California. This year marked the third consecutive year that Brunswick has medaled at the Head of the Charles Regatta. It also marked the third year in a row that Brunswick was the top placing school in its category.
After spending most of the fall training in single sculls, the Brunswick crew came together into a coxed four in the last couple weeks and put together a great race on the historic Charles River course. The regatta’s website describes the event as “the world’s largest 3-day rowing competition attracting 400,000 spectators, 11,000 competitors, and 2400 volunteers.”
Of special note, co-captain Henry Andren has now earned medals at this event three consecutive years, while co-captain Lucas Tan has steered Brunswick to two straight silver medals. Also of note, George Kapp was the youngest competitor to win a medal in any of the Men’s Youth events.
Brunswick led the field of 90 crews by a slim margin at the first two time checks, at Riverside Boat Club and Weld Boathouse. However, Brunswick lost significant time to the eventual winners (Oakland Strokes) in the next section of the race, including a tense moment in which Brunswick’s stern came in contact with the bow of a crew who had been passed by the Bruins. In the final stretch of the course from Cambridge Boat Club to the Finish Line, Brunswick was able to race hard to the line and post a time of 16:59.6 for its second-place finish.
