With the wind out of the north, and the course along King Caesar, you could not ask for a better afternoon of racing. This Sunday marked the Third Annual Battle of The Bay regatta, hosted by the Duxbury Bay Maritime School. The course ran 750 meters, with the finish line at Bumpus Park. Spectators gathered by land and sea to cheer on competitors as they sprinted down toward the mouth of Bluefish River.
This year’s race had a total of 48 rowers split across five events: Women’s Quad, Men’s Quad, Co-Ed Quad with Coxswain, Women’s Single andMen’s Single.
There were four boats that competed in heats and then a final in the Women’s Quad. After a very close final, Jeanne Jamieson, Kathleen Lyons,Gayle Walsh and Nicole Bousey came out on top with a one-second lead on second place.
There were three boats in the Men’s Quad event, with first place swept up by Dick Lyons, Jim Jamieson, Mike O’Hare and Mike Rugnetta.
The Co-Ed Quad with Coxswain event was composed of DBMS’ novice participants completing their first summer of Learn To Row. “I am so proud of them,” Adult Rowing Director Suzanne Sarles said. “The purpose of this program is to expose people to the sport of rowing. Two months ago, this group had just begun rowing and today, they competed in their first regatta.”
The Women’s and Men’s Singles was a spectacular display of sculling for all. Molly Tyson won the Women’s race, and former US National Team rower Oli Rosenbladt won the Men’s race. This is arguably the most challenging boat to race, as it is a battle with not only the sculler next to you, but also with yourself as you have no teammates in the boat with you.
Among the many accomplished competitors, there were two Olympians on site. Chuck Hewitt was a member of the 1972 Olympic Team along with Single Sculler, Jim Dietz. Dietz was a teammate of Hewitt’s on the ’72 Olympic Team and went on to make the ’76 and ’80 teams as well.
All competitors and families gathered for the Awards Ceremony and Reception at DBMS after racing.
“Our mission at DBMS is to provide access to the Bay,” Sarles said. “The regatta is the culmination of the spring and summer rowing programs for adults. Looking to the fall, I hope people will come give rowing a try.”
Fall programs begin the week of Sept. 5. DBMS wants to thank the Harbormasters, Duxbury
residents who came out to cheer, families of competitors and all regatta volunteers for all of their help in making this a successful day for all involved.
