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 varsity four crew finished 24th in its time trial with a time of 5:30.085. Sophomore Beth Simmonds (Arlington, VA/Yorktown) served as the coxswain while sophomore Pia Heilmann (Coppell, TX/Phillips Academy Andover (MA)) sat stroke. Senior Amelia Whitman (Galesville, MD) was in the three seat, with junior Uejin Kim (Houston, TX/Stratford) in the two seat and freshman Elizabeth Carr (Wellesley, MA/Wellesley) in the bow. While the varsity pair crew of seniors Rebecca Williamson (Burlington, Ontario/Hillfield Strathallan) and Vanessa Damm (Riverside, CT/Greenwich) placed 15th in their heat, with the top 12 advancing.