ROWING CONCLUDES SEASON WITH FIFTH PLACE FINISH IN THE PETITE FINAL AT THE PAC-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS
5/18/2008
GOLD RIVER, Calif. -- Sacramento State’s women’s varsity eight concluded its season with a fifth-place finish in the petite final at the Pacific-10 Conference Women’s Rowing Championships Sunday afternoon at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma.
The Hornets’ fifth-place time of 7:10.90 over 2,000 meters in the varsity eight petite final trailed UCLA (6:53.30), Gonzaga (6:55.70), Western Washington (6:58.20) and UC Davis (7:00.60).
But the day belonged to Cal, which won the Pac-10 title by placing first in the grand finals of the varsity eight, second varsity eight and novice eight events. The Golden Bears also placed second in the varsity four grand final, and easily won the team trophy with 79 points. The next closest team was Stanford with 61 points. Cal has now won four team titles in the last five years (2004-06, 2008).
The Pacific-10 Conference Championships is limited to the top 21 entrants for each event in the West Region, which includes each of the seven Pac-10 women’s rowing institutions (Cal, Washington State, Stanford, Oregon State, Washington, UCLA and USC).
The Pac-10’s mark the conclusion of the women’s rowing regular season. Since the advent of the NCAA Championships in 1997, holding the Pac-10’s on the final weekend allows the selection committee to compare virtually all the West Coast (Pac-10 and non Pac-10) crews under comparable race conditions. With no time standard to meet, boats competing in the NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships will be named by a selection committee this Tuesday, May 20.
Sacramento State fielded boats in the varsity eight, second varsity eight and novice eight competitions. Each boat reached the petite final of their respective events, with the varsity eight placing fifth, the second varsity eight placing fourth and the novice eight finishing second.
“Today’s varsity eight performance was a reflection of the season, as the team was up and down all year,” Sacramento State head coach Mike Connors said. “They didn’t race today as well as they did last week at the Dad Vail Regatta, but we do have six of the nine members from the boat returning next year. We have a good nucleus, and hopefully the group gained some valuable experience and will come back with determination next year.
“Our second varsity eight was able to close the gap on some of the crews they faced at the WIRA Championships. Today was a tough field that was very fast, but they held their own.
“I thought our novices did a very nice job today, and barely missed qualifying for the grand final. They seemed to get better every race this season, and I’m looking forward to working with them in the future because I really like their racing mentality.”
The top three boats in each of the morning’s qualifying heats advanced to this afternoon’s grand finals while places 4-6 in each qualifying heat reached the petite finals. Sacramento State finished sixth in its varsity eight heat, fifth in the second varsity eight heat and fourth in the novice eight heat. Sacramento State’s race results can be found below and complete results from every race can be found by clicking on the link above the story.
Sacramento State’s season comes to a close today. In dual meets this year, the Hornets’ varsity eight finished the year 5-2, the second varsity eight was 5-1, and the novice eight finished 4-2. In addition, Sacramento State’s varsity eight finished ahead of 38 other entries and won gold at last weekend’s Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia. The team’s second varsity eight medaled (bronze) at the WIRA Championships for the sixth time in the last seven years. Next season, the Hornets will return all but three rowers (Aimee Chenard, Krista Hill and Ashley Loucks) from today’s varsity eight lineup.
Second Varsity Eight, Heat 2
1. Cal 6:45.60
2. Oregon State 6:46.80
3. Stanford 6:49.30
4. UCLA 6:53.50
5. Sacramento State 7:16.30
6. Western Washington 7:18.40
Varsity Eight, Heat 2
1. Stanford 6:33.70
2. Washington State 6:37.80
3. Washington 6:40.00
4. UCLA 6:45.30
5. UC Davis 6:48.80
6. Sacramento State 6:59.60
Novice Eight, Heat 1
1. Cal 6:57.30
2. Oregon State 7:01.30
3. Gonzaga 7:13.00
4. Sacramento State 7:15.80
5. USC 7:29.50
Novice Eight Petite Final
1. UCLA 7:31.30
2. Sacramento State 7:33.80
3. Stanford 7:40.20
4. USC 7:47.80
Second Varsity Eight Petite Final
1. UCLA 7:03.90
2. Gonzaga 7:09.10
3. UC Davis 7:14.60
4. Sacramento State 7:19.20
5. Western Washington 7:33.80
Varsity Eight Petite Final
1. UCLA 6:53.30
2. Gonzaga 6:55.70
3. Western Washington 6:58.20
4. UC Davis 7:00.60
5. Sacramento State 7:10.90
GOLD RIVER, Calif. -- Sacramento State’s women’s varsity eight concluded its season with a fifth-place finish in the petite final at the Pacific-10 Conference Women’s Rowing Championships Sunday afternoon at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma.
