N-A-C Ya on the Podium!

N-A-C Ya on the Podium!

Andera McCarthy

This Friday, before dawn, the team leaves for the Head of the American Regatta (HOTA, pronounced hoe-duh by Californians). By the time the dawn cracks, spilling the yolk of the sun onto the horizon, we will be an hour or two into our bus ride, wishing we had brought sunglasses, or maybe a blindfold. The 7-hour bus ride feels just as long as it is, but every second is worth it. The stops along the way are always fun too. My favorite ever misspelling of my name by a barista occurred at the Starbucks on the way to a race at Lake Natoma. I got my iced coffee back, and it said, “Anthiria.” Which is awesome. I might name my first born child Anthiria. It sounds like a deadly disease, or a heavy metal band.

While Lido Chase is undoubtedly a highlight of the season for me, I would consider HOTA to be the first big regatta of the season. This will be my third time at HOTA, and this is the most excited I have ever been. I like racing at Lake Natoma any time we get the opportunity for the following reasons: the course is beautiful (and we get to see even more of it doing a 5k than when we do a 2k at Regionals), the travel regatta aspect of it is always eventful, and there aren’t even any Duffies swerving in front of us the whole way down the course, or yachts that are chock-full of people, blasting music and screaming encouraging and vaguely demeaning things while we fight for our lives in their wake. Girl power!

This being my sixth year of rowing at the NAC, I have grown wise in the ways of preparing for trips to Folsom and of participating in them. For one, overpacking is a bad idea. As long as you have your uni, you will be fine. Also, when putting your suitcase under the bus, make sure you stand up really slowly and carefully or you will slam your head on the raised door, and it will hurt. Speaking of pain, bring shoes that are easy to get on and off quickly, and that are okay to get wet. When you are traversing the rocky shore to launch your boat and you have some semblance of traction, you will be grateful. Finally, always bring a trashbag or two. They take up no room, and you will be so glad to have a way of protecting your backpack if it rains.

And now, for the actual racing. As any parent will tell you, rowing is not exactly suited to spectation, especially when it is head race-style, meaning the boats start on intervals, one after the other instead of in one ear drum-shattering fleet. My parents always recount how they spend the beginning of the race squinting into the distance, the middle trying to figure out what order the lanes go in, about 10 seconds screaming “GO NEWPORT” as we speed by, and then the remaining minute or so unsure if we tied with that other boat or if was just the angle. That certainly doesn’t stop our spirited blue and yellow parental cheer squad from trying; lining the course and ringing cowbells ‘till the cows come home.

When we get asked “Could you hear us?” by the parents after our race, the answer is occasionally “yes,” but more often: “It was a little hard to make out exactly what you said over the sound of every cell in my body screaming in agony.” That being said, the unadulterated hype is palpable from the first strokes through the red buoys. 

I have a great feeling about this race. The start of the year has been incredibly productive, and it seems that gains have been made on all fronts, from the water to the weight room, and from the general vibe of the team to our awesome new 776 unis. (They are so comfortable. I don’t understand how.) I think endurance really is a specialty of Newport’s, and I can’t wait to get out there on the course and begin the utter domination we have planned for this season. GO NEWPORT!