This past Sunday, April 18, marked the next in a series of “winner-takes-all” dual races for the Cornell men's lightweight rowing team, as the Big Red was pitted against the Yale Bulldogs. The race also served as a reunion for two distinguished Cornell rowing alumni, Colin Farrell (AS '05) and Sean Healey (Eng '05). Their meeting was different this time, however. The two oarsmen, once “brothers in battle,” fighting for the Big Red, were on opposing sides, as Farrell is serving as Yale's freshman lightweight assistant coach, while Healey remains with his alma mater in the same position.

Farrell and Healey have had significant achievements during their rowing careers both on the water and as coaches. Farrell was the captain of the Cornell lightweight team for two years and stroked the varsity eight in consecutive 8-1 seasons. After graduating he was a member of the U.S. National Team for three seasons and in his final year received a gold medal in the Lightweight (8+) eight at the FISA World Rowing Championships in 2008. After his time as a competitor, Farrell proceeded into his coaching career by taking an intern coaching position for Cornell's heavyweight program for the 2008-2009 season. He led his third varsity crew to an undefeated spring and a bronze finish at the Eastern Sprints Regatta. After his success at Cornell, Farrell was offered a fulltime coaching position at Yale as the freshman lightweight coach.

Healey's track record is no less decorated. During his time rowing for Cornell, he won gold in the open pair at Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships, along with two silver finishes at Eastern Sprints. After his senior year, he spent one year working in an engineering position in Pittsburgh before returning in 2006 to take charge of the Big Red freshmen crews. In his three seasons as a coach, Healey has led his first and second freshman teams to nearly undefeated seasons in 2009, along with gold medal finishes at Eastern Sprints for each crew.

When asked what he anticipated from the weekend's races Farrell stated “I know from my time rowing with Sean that he is a fierce competitor and a great teammate. I was looking forward to having a worthy opponent on the water who always brings his best to race day.” Responding to the same question Healey commented that “I was both excited and anxious to face Colin's crews. I am fully aware of his knowledge of the sport and capacity to coach rowing. I knew his rowers would be fast and well-refined.”

When the Bulldogs went head-to-head with the Big Red this Sunday, Cornell's first freshmen boat edged out the Yale crew for first place. However, each coach left the race course with a victory as Colin's second freshmen boat secured a sound 12-second victory over the Big Red. As each coach returns to sharpen their crews for the remainder of the season, they look forward to racing again in four weeks at the Eastern Sprints league championships in Massachusetts.