The regatta is one of the biggest events of the season for Sacramento State as it serves as the team''s conference championship. Saturday''s regatta (April 29) will consist of 45 races (24 on the women''s side, 21 on the men''s side) beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing until approximately 4:40 p.m. Sunday''s competition (April 30), which includes the grand finals for each event, consists of 25 races (14 on the women''s side, 11 on the men''s side) beginning at 8 a.m. and running until the awards ceremony at 12:30 p.m.

This season marks the second-straight year in which each of the Hornets'' top three boats have received a top three ranking. Last year, the team''s second varsity eight was seeded first, and both the varsity eight an novice eight were seeded second. At last year''s WIRA Championships, the novice eight won the boat''s first-ever gold medal at the event, while the second varsity eight placed second and the varsity eight third. The Hornets will be looking to sweep gold at the WIRAs for the first time in school history.

The women''s varsity eight competition will begin Saturday with heats at 9:50 a.m. and 10 a.m., and Sacramento State will compete in the heat at 10 a.m. The grand final will take place on Sunday at noon. A total of 14 schools will challenge for the women''s varsity eight championship, comprised of No. 1 seed Loyola Marymount, No. 2 Sacramento State, No. 3 San Diego State, No. 4 UC Davis, No. 5 Lewis and Clark, No. 6 Puget Sound, No. 7 Saint Mary''s, No. 8 San Diego, No. 9 Western Washington, No. 10 Gonzaga, No. 11 Santa Clara, No. 12 UC Santa Barbara, No. 13 Long Beach State and No. 14 UC Irvine.

Sacramento State''s varsity eight has already defeated UC Davis, Santa Clara, San Diego State and Long Beach State in different competitions this season. In fact, the Hornets knocked off No. 3 seed San Diego State by more than six seconds on March 12 at Lake Natoma. The Hornets also beat No. 4 seed UC Davis on two occasions this year, including a victory by 5.9 seconds on April 8 at the Aggies'' home course. The Hornets'' varsity eight is seeking its first gold medal at the WIRA Championships since 2001. Sacramento State finished third in the event last year, second in 2004, fourth in 2003, second in 2002, and first in both 2000 and 2001.

The Hornets'' second varsity eight earned the No. 3 seed after posting a 5-1 record in dual meets this year and a 15-1 mark dating back to 2003. Sacramento State''s novice eight, which will try to win its second-consecutive gold medal, has a 7-0 dual-meet record this year and has won 17-straight duals dating back to last season.

At last year''s WIRA Championships, Gonzaga won the gold medal in the varsity eight grand final, finishing ahead of Loyola Marymount, Sacramento State, Western Washington, Puget Sound and San Diego, respectively. Loyola Marymount had won the event the previous two years. Dating back to 2000, either Sacramento State, Gonzaga or Loyola Marymount has won the varsity eight competition every year.

Other women''s grand final times this Sunday include the novice lightweight four (8 a.m.), novice four (8:20 a.m.), pair (8:40 a.m.), second novice eight (9 a.m.), lightweight four (9:20 a.m.), varsity four (9:40 a.m.), novice eight (10 a.m.), second varsity eight (10:30 a.m.), and varsity eight (noon).