New Rowing Tradition Emerges
October 24, 2007 | Women's Rowing
The University of Wisconsin novice women's crew team played host to the first annual 'Rookie Regatta Rumpus' last Saturday in Madison. The regatta was a competition between novice rowers from Wisconsin and Minnesota. Wisconsin swept Minnesota at this event, bringing home the 'Hammer of the Northland' trophy.
The Hammer is a new tradition created by the rowing programs at both Universities to foster a healthy set of competition between the schools. The Wisconsin ' Minnesota head-to-head competition has been an annual event since 2001, however.
The trophy was donated by the University of Minnesota and decorated by novice rowing alumni. The official Hammer was dedicated at the dual race between Wisconsin and Minnesota, the Rookie Regatta Rumpus, on Oct. 20, 2007. Named to recognize the hard work of these two rowing powerhouses, the Hammer features two sides, each representing one of the schools. A Wisconsin face and Minnesota face are painted opposite of each other on the trophy.
The competition associated with the hammer is designed to reflect the competition held between the schools' football programs over Paul Bunyan's 'Axe. ' The Hammer reflects Big Ten titles for each team on the head, with all other competition wins recorded down the side of the Hammer. The trophy is awarded to the winners of the first boat at all head-to-head competitions and championship regattas.
As of October 2007, the all time record stands at nine wins for Wisconsin and five wins for Minnesota.
At the Rookie Regatta Rumpus last weekend, the Badgers swept the Gophers in both events. In the head race, Wisconsin boats clamed first, second and fourth places. In the sprint race, the Badgers took first, second and fifth. Overall, Wisconsin took the top two spots with times of 20:14.0 and 20:26.0.
Wisconsin rowing programs will compete on Nov. 4 at the Chicago Regatta. The Head of the Iowa, originally scheduled for this Sunday, has been canceled due to poor river conditions.
