WATERLOO, N.Y.—Following double dual racing at Ithaca yesterday, the William Smith College rowing team hosted Wellesley College and Williams College in what has become a great early season race for all three teams. Originally scheduled to race on Seneca Lake, the event was moved into the Cayuga-Seneca Canal right before racing when westerly winds made the top end of the lake unrowable.
 
In the canal, while waters remained calm, Herons, Ephs and Blue Hens fast flowing head current and swiftly rising head winds. The Herons dropped all of their races.
 
"Early season racing is meant to work out a lot of kinks and illuminate the team's challenges," Heron Head Coach Sandra Chu said. "I felt the team had fantastic opportunities both yesterday and today to accelerate its development and we took advantage of those. I'm feeling very good about the progress we are making as a squad. Both yesterday and today were great warm-ups for Sunday's match-up against Rochester."
 
The varsity four race was the first on the water. Williams won the race by more than 48 seconds over Wellesley. William Smith was 48 seconds behind the Blue.
 
The novice eight, a head-to-head showdown between Wellesley and William Smith, was next to the starting line. The Blue enjoyed a margin of victory of over 32 seconds.
 
Williams outdueled Wellesley in the third varsity eight race, crossing the finish line more than 29 seconds ahead of the Blue.
 
In the 2V, Williams again bested the field, stopping the clock at 8:17.9. Wellesley was about eight seconds behind the Ephs and more than four seconds ahead of the Herons.
 
Williams completed its four-race sweep by capturing the varsity eight in 8:12.12, about five seconds ahead of Wellesley. William Smith was third, just over 13 seconds behind the Blue.
 
"Conditions were difficult—not so much in the quality of the water but simply in the relentless combination of head wind and head current." Chu said. "You could definitely see all the crews being tested by the heaviness and lengthy race times. I thought the 1V showed the most growth from yesterday. They were even with Wellesley for the first 500 and kept contact with them up to the last 500. Just as the 2V did against Ithaca, I think they are beginning to learn how to make their own magic and it's exciting to see this."
 
William Smith will be back on the water on Sunday, April 9, when the Herons travel to race the University of Rochester.