Last Post

The crew is now home, and after we have had some time to unwind, take hot showers, and eat our favorite homemade meals, I think that it is time to write the last post.

We spent our last full day in England watching the last day of racing at the Henley Royal Regatta. The boat tents were almost empty as only two crews remained for each event, but the Stewards Enclosure was full. There were a few good races, but surprisingly, the races were mostly uneven which was unexpected. In particular, it was fun to see the final of the Temple Challenge Cup between the Princeton Lightweights and the Brown Freshmen (Princeton won). Brown's Varsity Eight, however, won the Ladies Challenge Plate later in the day. In the Princess Elizabeth Cup (our event) Eton College won by 5 lengths (yes, 5 lengths) over Abingdon. This was not a surprise because Eton had been dominant throughout the entire regatta. But in the end, it was nice for us to spend the day as a team enjoying our last day together before we went our separate ways.

We spent the evening packing and getting ready for our flight the next day, and the next morning was hectic for those who had not packed the night before. We said our good bye's to the Webb family, who never failed to provide us with entertainment, and we were picked up by a bus to take us to Heathrow Airport. Without much incident, we boarded the plane and headed home after a brief delay due to weather or air traffic. The flight was long, but this time, we knew that we would be able to sleep once we got home, so it was easier to bear. But the highlight of the day was being welcomed to Dulles Airport by a crowd of Gonzaga supporters. Although we were quite tired, it was glad to see some familiar faces after our journey.

After having some time to reflect, it would be safe to say the the trip was a success. We may not have advanced as far as we would have liked, but in the end, we were given the opportunity to compete with the best high schools in the world, and we are honored. It is our hope that this season will lay the foundation for future Gonzaga boats to repeat what we have done and take the program even farther.

Thanks again for your support, for without your help, this trip would never have been possible. And I would like to thank all who read the blog, for it was a lot of fun to write, and it is rewarding to hear that people felt connected to the team despite being a few thousand miles away.