R.I.T. Athletics

GENEVA, NY - The RIT men's crew squad opened the fall head racing season today with strong finishes at the fourth Annual Hobart William Smith Challenge on the Canal. The 4,500m course on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal presented a gusting headwind. All RIT entries placed within the top three.

The junior varsity 8 recorded a first place finish for the Tigers. Their winning time of 15:46 put them ahead of Hobart (15:51) and Ithaca (16:02). The line-up featured coxswain Graeme Buckley (Penfield, NY/Penfield), stroke George Spragins (Brockport, NY/Brockport), seven seat Stu Burgess (Buffalo, NY/City Honors), six seat Paul Fisher (Wyoming, OH/Wyoming), five seat Ben Kaiser (Medina, NY/Medina), four seat Evan Moreshead (Saco, ME/Thornton Academy), three seat Pat Shand (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet), two seat Anthony Castaneda (Fairfax, VA/Fairfax), and bow Michael Kitson (McLean, VA/McLean).

The varsity 8 finished second with a time of 15:52 behind event winner Hobart (15:15). The boat was powered by coxswain Dan Knorr (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna), stroke Kevin Macksamie (Rochester, NY/Gates-Chili), seven seat Mark Menzenski (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca), six seat Justin Dixon (Factoryville, PA/Lackawanna Trail), five seat Cameron Staunch (Fairport, NY/Fairport), four seat Matt Hesselink (Kalamazoo, MI/Kalamazoo Christian), three seat Jon Shannon (Lunenburg, MA/Lunenburg), two seat Chris Massey and bow Bryan Abbott (Simsbury, CT/Simsbury). Ithaca and Clarkson rounded out the four-boat field.

The Tigers race next weekend at the Head of the Genesee on Sunday, October 11. The regatta coincides with RIT’s Brick City Homecoming Weekend, which will bring parents and alumni to campus for Brick City events.