Ice-O-Metrics

Many coaches think it's impossible to produce a championship crew team in New Hampshire. After all, there are complications that come with a northern latitude. Namely, ice. But men's heavyweight crew coach Scott Armstrong enjoys the challenge of a late thaw. "We train hard and try to be the toughest, nastiest, meanest guys on the water," he says. When the river turns solid, the team trains indoors and on road-trips south. The heavyweights plan to join the women's team for the annual spring-recess training session on Lake Melton in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as they have annually since 1982. The lightweight men will row in Miami. Here's a look at how other Ivy League crew teams handle the ice:

School Rowing Venue Thaw Date* Cold Hard Facts Brown Seekank River N/A Salt water typically won't freeze. Water training restricted by league and NCCA rules. Columbia Harlem River February 15 River doesn't really freeze. The danger comes from pack ice floating down the Hudson. Cornell Lake Cayuga Inlet Aprill Ice melt is heavily dependant on the severity of the winter. Dartmouth Connecticut River April 1 Only twice in Dartmouth history, 1981 and 1998, crews rowed outdoors during winterterm. Harvard Charles River March 15 Recent winters have been warm enough to start rowing in February. Penn Schuylkill River February 1 Women take a winter training trip to Tampa. Princeton Lake Carnegie February 15 Up to 18 inches of ice can form on the shallow lake and remain until late March. Yale Housatonic River Marchl Extensive indoor training, not because of ice, but to avoid the cold.