FALL ‘24 TEAM LEADER RECAP (MEN)
Stanford Men’s Rowing Team Captains James Pullinger ’26 and Caspar Griffin ‘26
Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends of The Rowing Association,
First and foremost, we want to express our gratitude for your ongoing support and share our excitement for this season. We are both members of the Class of 2026 – the first class recruited after reinstatement – which means we’re particularly aware of the generosity that has made it all possible. The team is only going to get bigger and better from here, and we can’t wait to see what happens next. For now, we’re taking it day by day, enjoying every minute ripping stick on the bay or grinding meters out in A–Hall. It was awesome to meet alumni earlier on this quarter, learning from some of the best on how to row the single (to the bridge and back, at race pace) and the correct way to respond after losing a 5x7’ grinder on the water (not talking to each other for a week, apparently).
In all seriousness, it was a privilege to look back on footage with the ‘08 IRA crewmembers to see what it takes to strive for a National Championship for the Cardinal. We can’t emphasize enough how much the success and work ethic of previous years inspires what we set out to do each day. And each day this quarter, we’ve been doing a lot.
The squad has been buoyed by the addition of shiny new Hudson singles, helping the guys to get a close feel for the water – maybe even too close at times, but the odd capsize never hurt anyone. We raced the whole squad together at the inaugural Singles Henley a few weeks ago, and Pairs Henley is coming up at the end of the quarter. We’ve committed to consistent mileage and speed testing throughout the fall, and the benefits are evident in how guys are learning to move boats and compete on the water. Guys from all classes have also reached new physiological heights as a result of the expert programming of Ted, John, and Niles, with some giant PRs in the erg testing done before Thanksgiving.
A shoutout has to go to the Freshmen, who came in hungry and adapted fast, and the huge acquisition of the ‘Uncles’ – fifth years Adrien and Max. We’ve been training hard, having a lot of fun, and kept the big train rolling. A packed racing schedule awaits us, with East coast teams like Yale and Brown joining old rivals Cal and UW to battle it out at the shores. As we head into Winter break, spirits are high and the training has kept on going. It’s been a solid Fall, but it’s not over just yet. By focusing on the controllables and sticking to the plan, we’ll have what it takes to start revving engines and picking up speed when January comes.
Go Card!
James and Caspar
