A boat glides across the Schuylkill River, rowers working in unison to part the water with red and blue paddles.

To an observer standing on the river banks, this may look effortless, but it’s not. Behind every race won, every elegant pass on the water, are hours of sweat in the gym, practices that begin at daybreak, and intense strategizing designed to best opponents.

We take a look back at Penn Rowing’s last few months on the Schuylkill, with a glimpse inside the only collegiate facility perched along the picturesque Boathouse Row, the weight room, and, of course, the boats skimming along the surface of the water.