2009 WINNERS Michael Cataldo AND Michael Cataldo , Jr .
photo : © sportgraphics . com
out after the race ‘ that was the most adrenaline I ’ ve ever felt .’ For me the race was both exciting and quite spiritual .”
Still further back was the motherdaughter team of Barbara Apignani and Serena Blacklow , hands freezing as they waited for the starter to call them forward . Both were racing for the first time . Three miles upstream was the finish line , welcome for any racer , but for this mother-daughter boat , a goal with a far greater significance on this day . Barbara is a recent breast cancer survivor , and the finish line , she had determined , would mark the symbolic end of her illness .
Bill Kirber and his 30-something daughter Jayne had each already raced once that day , Bill in the Senior Master 2x and Jayne in the women ’ s master eights . Although Bill had come to rowing rather late in life , at age 51 , and Jayne had only recently gotten serious at the Three Rivers Rowing Club in Pittsburgh after graduating from Bates , the two had recently won a medal at Master ’ s Nationals .
“ There are certain ‘ snapshots ’ of particular moments in particular places , that stand out ,” said Bill Kirber . “ Rowing down the Charles with Jayne , both of us tired and cold but not quite yet completely exhausted , happy with our effort and shared experience , is certainly one of them .”
A few places in front of the Kirbers were another father-daughter duo — Ernie and Kate Parizeau . Kate had first learned to row at Nobles & Greenough School and then raced at Dartmouth . Ernie was an ex- Dartmouth oarsman too , brought back into a boat by nagging knee issues at age 43 . He now had ten years of sculling under his belt , but neither Kate nor he had ever raced in a double before and their practices were limited to a few outings .
“ I felt especially honored to be able to compete in an event with my child ,” wrote Ernie Parizeau . “ I had often coached my children ’ s sports teams , but this was the first time that I had the opportunity to have a child as a teammate . What a wonderful gift !”
As the boats made their way up the course , all of the varied , pre-race goals soon gave way to the reality of the grueling race .
“ Just completing the Head Of The Charles is a real challenge ,” explained HOCR board member Marcia Hooper , “ it ’ s like a marathon in the sense that it can be quite brutal .”
Hooper originally came up with the idea for the parent-child double scull event two years ago , proposing it as interesting and fun event that would not only be quite popular , but also serve as a way to build an endowment — the entry fee to the Directors ’ Challenge includes a donation to the HOCR endowment — for the Regatta for many generations to
For many , the parent-child race at the Head Of The Charles is an opportunity not only to partake in a world-class athletic competition , but the chance to share a profound family moment as well .
come . Equally important , the race would provide an immediate , shared experience for parent and child .
The experiences of these racers would suggest that Hooper ’ s instincts were quite prescient .
“ The feeling was one of complete intoxication ,” said Barbara Apignani , “ of physical and mental contentment . We had a joyful row back to the boathouse just after sunset . We were the last boat on the water , and watched the glimmer of our stern and bow lights reflect off the water as we paddled along , slowly , lingering on the river for as long as possible .”
Dan Boyne , author of the book , Kelly : A Father , A Son , An American Quest , about Olympic sculling champions John B . Kelly Sr . and Jr ., is director of recreational rowing at Harvard University , in cambridge , mass .
2010 Head Of The Charles 33