IUPUI Student Veterans Organize Regatta

Being featured on the several IUPUI social media sites was the highlight for the Student Veterans Organization as they placed 50th out of the 82 co-ed teams competing in the 11thannual Regatta. The four-person team was composed of two males and two females, Garrett Banning and Miriam Sandoval, along with Frank Wintin and team captain Brandon Stumph. 

The Regatta had timed trial waves of racers instead of head-to-head races for the first time in the history of the event. This was an attempt to shorten the first few rounds to get to the six-team final. 

As the countdown from the viewing audience began from five, the inebriated veterans prepared to race. 

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1… the swimmers launched us through under the bridge,” Stumph said. “As soon as we crossed the bridge we tipped and fell over.” 

The teams’ specific spill was video recorded and included in IUPUI’s highlight video. This was not the only fall into the water for the organization. They fell again trying to return back to the starting position. 

Different strategies to keep the canoe afloat were attempted by the team captain, however, they still fell once again. 

“The material the canoes were made of felt like steel. I tried to spread my legs to keep the balance but that didn’t help,” Stumph said.

The group gathered after competing and set up shop to enjoy a  day grilling burgers, throwing a football, playing corn hole and, of course, emptying of beer cans. The Student Veteran Organization was allowed to participate in the event by having their office fund the registration fee.

The final time for the Student Veteran Organization was just over 8 minutes and 42 seconds, about three minutes slower than the time of the fastest canoe through the first trial but exactly eleven minutes faster than the dead last co-ed canoe timed at 19 minutes and 42 seconds. Preparation for the event was not an easy task as none of the members could make it to the practice day a week before the event. All four members, including two replacement student veterans, had drill the weekend before the competition.

“It was definitely an experience I would like to do again. We didn’t spend much time prior to Saturday and had to make a late adjustment replacing one of the team members that couldn’t make it,” Stumph said.

 The eleventh annual Regatta was a success even with the new format. This was the first time any of the members of the Student Veteran Organization team participated in the Regatta. The members that contributed all agreed that this won’t be their last experience. 

“It was a blast. I did not get to take photos of the [transition] of the four rowers but I enjoyed it,”  photographer Monica Sodek said.