PHILADELPHIA - The Sacramento State women’s varsity eight posted the seventh-fastest time among 30 boats in the Women’s Varsity Heavyweight Eight competition Friday morning during the first day of the Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River.
Due to the flow of the river and debris from recent storms that hit the Philadelphia area, boats were racing on 1,500 meter courses instead of the traditional 2,000 meters. Each of the 30 schools in the varsity heavyweight eight event competed in time trials in a head race format (boats start one at a time in 30-second intervals).
Sacramento State posted a 4:38.92 over 1,500 meters, which easily qualified the crew for the semifinals. In tomorrow’s semifinal, which will begin at 7:20 a.m. PST and take place on a 2,000 meter course, the Hornets will race against Dayton, Grand Valley, Saint Joseph’s, Alabama and Lehigh. The top two boats from that semifinal advance to tomorrow’s grand final at 1:30 p.m. PST with the opportunity to win the Everlyn Bergman Trophy.
The Hornets have a little ground to make up if they want to make the final as both Grand Valley (1st) and Saint Joseph’s (6th) finished with better marks in today’s time trial. However, Saint Joseph’s time of 4:38.29 was just 0.63 seconds ahead of Sacramento State’s time.
Founded in 1934, the Dad Vail Regatta is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States that includes colleges and Universities from the U.S. and Canada. Over 100 schools and thousands of rowers will compete at the event this week.
The Hornets are competing in the Dad Vail Regatta for the fourth time in the last seven years. The Hornets won a silver medal at the event last year, claimed its first-ever Everlyn Bergman Trophy in 2004, and placed second in the petite final in 2003.
PHILADELPHIA - The Sacramento State women’s varsity eight posted the seventh-fastest time among 30 boats in the Women’s Varsity Heavyweight Eight competition Friday morning during the first day of the Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River.
