Brigid Kennedy
How has 2020 been for you, especially compared with what you expected?
2020 and 2021 have not been at all what I expected. As a college student I expected to finish out my junior and senior years learning on campus and racing for the Harvard-Radcliffe lightweight women’s rowing team. While my time at Harvard was cut short, I am enjoying spending more time with my family and rowing as much as possible. I did not expect to be able to compete in Olympic Trials as an undergraduate and am stoked to race this February!
Where are you now and how has the corona virus affected your training this year?
As school has been entirely virtual this year, I was able to move down to Florida for the month leading up to Olympic Trials. After trials I will be moving back to my apartment in Cambridge, MA to spend time with my classmates and continue to train for U23 Trials this summer. COVID certainly threw a wrench in my training plans in the spring and summer of 2020 but I have been fortunate to be able to row this fall and winter with Mark and Riverside’s HPG program.
How did you start rowing? What has kept you in the sport?
I began rowing to stay fit for swimming in our off-season and fell absolutely in love with rowing from the first day. We went out in our barge at Narragansett Boat Club in April sleet and still managed to have more fun than I’d ever had at swim practice. I have remained in the sport since then because I love both the simple and meditative joy of rowing out on the water and the ways that rowing rewards hard work.
What is your most memorable race and why?
I have two distinctly memorable races. The first was my second Head of the Charles Regatta in 2015. It was my first year competing in the 1x at HOCR and I had spent the entire fall studying the course map and rowing in the early mornings with our masters to work on both speed and technique. When I went through the finish line, I was ecstatic, knowing I had steered a nearly perfect line, and one of the masters who had worked with me waved me down from the sidelines and told me I had placed second. I started crying in the boat because I was so excited.
My second most memorable race was the final of the U23 World Championships in 2019. I executed the best race I have ever rowed and blacked out after going through the line. After an especially grueling summer, courtesy of Malcolm Doldron, I placed 4th in the lightweight 1x.
How has Riverside helped you achieve your goals?
I have loved training at Riverside Boat Club because of the supportive community. I look forward to practices each day both because I love rowing and because I enjoy (socially distanced) socializing with other members. I have also been extremely grateful for the support of Riverside members in supporting our efforts at Olympic Trials this spring!
What are your favorite volunteer activities at Riverside?
My favorite volunteer activity at Riverside has to be scraping paint. I really enjoyed our work parties this fall as we were able to take care of our facility while also building community.
What is your favorite training to do outside of the boat?
I love the BikeErg immensely and also enjoy swimming, cycling outdoors, running, and hiking.
As an athlete, has there been any upside to a very disruptive year?
As a collegiate athlete I might not otherwise have been able to compete in the 2021 Olympic Trials, so I am excited to participate in racing this February!
What will the next few months look like for you?
I will (hopefully) be completing my degree in neuroscience and graduating this May. I will be continuing to prepare for U23 Trials this summer.
Which sportsperson do you most admire?
I’ve admired Gevvie Stone since I began rowing because she has been able to balance training with medical school and residency which I hope to one day achieve.
How do you prepare on race day?
On race day I like to wake up early and have a bowl of oatmeal and mug of tea. I then watch the Great British Bake Off to help relax and keep pre-race nerves in check. I then do yoga and begin warmup with a light bike or jog before heading to the course. Once at the course I complete a long warmup on both land, while listening to my pre-race playlist, and water.
What do you to relax or have fun?
I love to spend time with family and friends, bake, and spend as much time outside as I can. I grew up in New England and love going for boat rides, especially boat rides where I do not have to row the boat!
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