Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMROW | Road-weary Syracuse ready to compete on home water
By Alexandra Rowley
Posted: 4/24/08, 11:32 PM EST Section: Sports
The No. 11 Syracuse men's crew has yet to feel the comforts of competing at home this season: the familiar territory, the fans, the comfort of the surroundings.
It will get to experience those things for the first time this year Saturday, when the Orange takes on No. 17 Boston University and No. 7 Columbia. The Varsity Eight will race for the Conlan Cup, which has been given to the winner of the event since 1987.
After four weeks of away races, the crew is just thrilled to finally race at home.
"It's definitely hard," junior Martin Etem said of traveling, "We travel down to South Carolina for spring in a bus, and it's just clustered. You're on the road, and everyone is crammed - it's rough."
While every athletics team has away games, only one of the six potential races for men's rowing takes place on its home water, Onondaga Lake. So far this season, the men have already been as far as San Diego, which SU head coach Dave Reischman said was not originally planned.
"We usually only have four cup races, followed by the Eastern Sprints and the IRA," said Reischman. "This year is different because we got invited to fly out to San Diego. … based off of our finish last year."
The added regatta allowed for some shifts in the schedule. Reischman said the Conlan Cup is usually first on its schedule, while this year is the team's fourth meet. This change meant different training, as well as more time the men would have to spend away from home. Senior Ryan Armstrong and Etem both agree the journey home is the most difficult part about traveling.
"The bus ride back is when you just wish you were home," Etem said. "Everyone is pretty excited for the race, but coming home the last 45 minutes is the worst."
Armstrong chimed in adding that 45 minutes can often feel like three hours and joked it is always a better bus ride if the Orange wins.
This year, the bus rides could not have been that bad.
So far, the Orange is undefeated for the second year in a row. The Conlan Cup was held in New York City last season where Syracuse beat both BU and Columbia by large margins. Although the Orange has come out on top the past two years of the race, Armstrong admits last year's competition lacked something he appreciates: fans.
It will get to experience those things for the first time this year Saturday, when the Orange takes on No. 17 Boston University and No. 7 Columbia. The Varsity Eight will race for the Conlan Cup, which has been given to the winner of the event since 1987.
After four weeks of away races, the crew is just thrilled to finally race at home.
"It's definitely hard," junior Martin Etem said of traveling, "We travel down to South Carolina for spring in a bus, and it's just clustered. You're on the road, and everyone is crammed - it's rough."
While every athletics team has away games, only one of the six potential races for men's rowing takes place on its home water, Onondaga Lake. So far this season, the men have already been as far as San Diego, which SU head coach Dave Reischman said was not originally planned.
"We usually only have four cup races, followed by the Eastern Sprints and the IRA," said Reischman. "This year is different because we got invited to fly out to San Diego. … based off of our finish last year."
The added regatta allowed for some shifts in the schedule. Reischman said the Conlan Cup is usually first on its schedule, while this year is the team's fourth meet. This change meant different training, as well as more time the men would have to spend away from home. Senior Ryan Armstrong and Etem both agree the journey home is the most difficult part about traveling.
"The bus ride back is when you just wish you were home," Etem said. "Everyone is pretty excited for the race, but coming home the last 45 minutes is the worst."
Armstrong chimed in adding that 45 minutes can often feel like three hours and joked it is always a better bus ride if the Orange wins.
This year, the bus rides could not have been that bad.
So far, the Orange is undefeated for the second year in a row. The Conlan Cup was held in New York City last season where Syracuse beat both BU and Columbia by large margins. Although the Orange has come out on top the past two years of the race, Armstrong admits last year's competition lacked something he appreciates: fans.
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