Hamilton College men’s rowing team had a successful weekend at the Hamilton Duels! On Saturday, April 11, the Continentals, ranked #10 nationally, dominated races on the Erie Canal in Rome, N.Y. Their varsity eight (V8) crew took first place with a thrilling win over Middlebury College, finishing in 5:56.47. They followed that by capturing the second varsity eight (2V8) title as well, crossing the finish line in 6:18.7, with Skidmore College edging them by just over three seconds.
The weather played a role on both days. On Saturday, a strong 10-15 mph tailwind helped them secure these victories. The following day, Sunday, the team traveled to Lake Quinsigamond in Massachusetts for races against WPI and Bates. Facing a headwind of 5-8 mph, Hamilton finished second in the V8 event, placing behind No. 7 Bates College, and third in the 2V8 event.
The Continentals showed impressive consistency throughout the competition. The V8 crew featured senior stroke rower Oliver Plese and a talented coxswain Timothy Bingenheimer, while the 2V8 included rowers like Kai Polozie and Gus Nappellio, and coxswain Gus Nappellio. Hamilton is now set to compete in the 2026 New York State Collegiate Championships on Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs next Saturday, April 18.