May 11, 2009

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Johns Hopkins women's crew team competed in its final regatta on Friday as the Blue Jays participated in the 71st annual Dad Vail Regatta. In addition, head coach Steve Perry was honored as the Matt Ledwith Coach of the Year. Matt Ledwith, who passed away suddenly in 2005, was a driving force in rowing in the Philadelphia region for almost 30 years and was involved with the Dad Vail Regatta Organizing Committee.

Due to extreme river flooding conditions on Friday, all heats were run as time trials with the top eighteen times in each time trial advancing to a semifinal on Saturday.

The heavyweight four placed 23rd out of 53 crews in its time trial with a time of 4:44.121. Junior Stephen Hou (Tega Cay, SC/Fort Mill) served as the coxswain with senior Taylor Reese (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) sitting stroke. Junior Joshua Crist (Akron, OH/Nordonia) was in the three seat, with junior Adam Ammar (Chicago, IL/Whitney Young) in the two seat and sophomore Max Thorsbakken (Eau Claire, WI/Eau Claire Memorial) in the bow.

The novice four placed 40th with a time of 5:15.023. Freshman Kevin Chen (Orlando, FL/Winter Park) served as the coxswain, with freshman Frank Yao (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) sitting stroke. Freshman Bob Huang (San Diego, CA/Mt Carmel) sat in the three seat, while freshman Cliff Jenkins-Houk (Lutherville, MD/Towson) sat in the two seat and sophomore Tyler Smith (Seattle, WA/West Seattle) was in the bow.

The lightweight four finished 20th in the trial with a time of 5:07.523. Sophomore Alisha Tuteja (Arlington, VA/Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology) served as the coxswain with sophomore Taylor Reese (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) sitting stroke. Sophomore Marcus Webb (Moultrie, GA/Maclay School (FL)) was in the three seat with sophomore Will Cooper (Pittsburgh, PA/Taylor Allderdice) in the two seat and sophomore Eric Chen (Macungie, PA/Shanghai American School) in the bow.