December 8, 1998
CHAPEL HILL - With a donation of $50,000 from a North Carolina alumna, the University of North Carolina has formed a sculling program within the intercollegiate women's rowing program. The two new sculls were officially dedicated at halftime of the men's basketball game with Buffalo on Dec. 8 at the Dean E. Smith Center.
The gift to start the program is from Kay Knight Clarke, who earned her Carolina degree in 1960 and began sculling seven years ago. Her donation comes from the Aeroflex Foundation, of which she is a board member. North Carolina will receive an additional boat in each of the next three years, building up a fleet of five sculls to compliment its current fleet of eight hulls.
Joel Furtek, in his second year as the UNC rowing coach, expects the sculling program to enhance all aspects of Tar Heel crew. "Sculling adds an extra dimension to our program, both for competition and for training," Furtek says. "We're proud that Carolina rowing has already shown great speed despite our inexperience. Sculling experience will help us progress even faster."
Sculling is prevalent in high school and Olympic rowing programs, but less common on collegiate level. Furtek hopes that Carolina's program will help popularize collegiate sculling, as well as preparing the Tar Heel athletes for future competition on the elite level. Sculling should also help Carolina better prepare to race in other boats, as time in small boats helps rowers improve their skills for competition in the larger eights. Additionally, because sculling can involve as few as one or two rowers, it is generally an easier way to continue rowing after college.
In just its second season as a varsity program, Carolina rowing is already competing successfully with the sport's traditional powers. Last May, the team earned a bronze medal at the NCAA championships. After a successful fall season, the team will compete next in March.
