The thousand-plus fans lining the shore of Lake Natoma expected no contest. All season long, the Oakland Strokes Women's Varsity 8+ had been the fastest high school boat in the nation.
The previous fall Oakland had won the prestigious Head of The Charles, eclipsing its nemesis Marin Rowing by more than eight seconds. Oakland trounced Marin twice more during the season, and then at the San Diego Crew Classic, the nation's biggest spring regatta, Marin pulled even with the Strokes half way through race, only to fade to third. Marin, the reigning national champion, was struggling to find its form.
The Southwest Regional Championships this weekend near Sacramento were shaping up as another Strokes cakewalk. In the Women's Varsity 8+ final -- a 2,000-meter contest -- Oakland quickly established half a boat length on Marin. By the 500-meter mark it was bow to stern.
On the shore in the tent with the video feed, Oakland Strokes fans cheered. But then something unexpected happened. Thirty seconds later, Marin won back a seat, then another. The Oakland fans grew quiet. Just after the mid-point, Oakland and Marin were neck and neck. The dueling boats hit the final stretch where swirling gusts topped 25 miles an hour. Marin inched ahead. All day long races had been won and lost here.
Into the wind, the Marin oarswomen dug deeper -- Sophie Rosenoer, Bridget Konttinen, Elizabeth Littman, Camille Kisseberth, Logan Harris, Charlotte Passot, Marlena Morshead and Megan Oechsel. Coxswain LuRay Joy drove them on and the inches grew to a seat lead, then two. A few hundred meters from the finish, Oakland was nearly half a boat down.
But it was far from over. Out in the white-capped water Oakland began to reel in Marin. With 300 hundred meters left Marin 's lead narrowed to only three seats. At a hundred meters just two seats separated victory and defeat. Oakland was gaining.
Hundreds of fans screamed as the two sleek long shells slid past the finish line. There was no word from officials for a few anxious minutes as they reviewed the video. The Marin and Oakland teams slowly spun their boats and headed back to shore, and then as the Marin girls saw their coach, Sandy Armstrong, hold up a single finger, they shot their arms up into the air and screamed.
Half a second had been the margin of victory.
Five minutes later the Marin girls tossed their coxswain in the lake for a bracing celebration. By the shore, the Oakland Strokes girls watched the scene, and then congratulated the Marin girls, sharing hugs and hand shakes.
The following day many of the same girls faced off again in the Varsity 4+ final. Oakland again was the favorite, notching the fastest time in the heats, while Marin could do no better than the third best time.
The temperatures soared into the high 80s for the final, Oakland confidently grabbing nearly a boat length lead by the 500-meter mark. Marin had started poorly and was still fighting for second, behind its B boat. But somewhere near the midpoint, coxswain LuRay Joy upped the stroke rate and Marlena Morshead, Elizabeth Littman, Logan Harris and Charlotte Passot responded.
Three hundred meters later Marin had a few seats on Oakland, and never looked back, cruising to gold by a comfortable four seconds
Five weeks from now the two Bay Area Women's 8+ squads, the top ranked high school girls' programs in the nation, will likely meet at the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships in Oak Ridge Tennessee.
It's going to be one heck of a battle.
Jonathan Littman is the founder of Snowball Narrative, author of The Beautiful Game and co-author of the Art of Innovation and Ten Faces of Innovation
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.