ROWING WINS GOLD IN THE V4, BRONZE IN THE JV8 AT THE WIRA CHAMPIONSHIPS
5/4/2008
GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The Sacramento State women’s rowing program won a gold medal in the varsity four, and a bronze medal in the second varsity eight to highlight the team’s morning in the second and final day of the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships Sunday morning on Lake Natoma.
The WIRA’s serve as Sacramento State’s conference championship event.
The Hornets advanced all six of its competing boats (varsity eight, second varsity eight, novice eight, varsity four, novice lightweight four and pair) into today’s respective grand final events, and the varsity four and second varsity eight each came through with medals.
However, the Hornets’ run of two consecutive WIRA team titles came to a close today, as UC Davis was able to win this year’s championship. Sacramento State placed fourth in both its pair and novice lightweight four competitions, fifth in the novice eight and sixth in the varsity eight. Sacramento State was represented by two student-athletes on the all-WIRA squad as senior Aimee Chenard and junior Anne Morrison were both named to the second team.
The team’s varsity four won with open water to spare, as the team crossed the 2,000-meter finish line with a time of 7:35.7, followed by Gonzaga (7:45.4) and UC Santa Barbara (7:51.0) to round out the top three places in the six-boat field.
Sacramento State’s second varsity eight medaled for the second straight year, and sixth time in the last seven years. They finished the 2,000-meter course with a time of 7:09.8, trailing Gonzaga (7:00.2) and UC Davis (7:01.8) in the six-boat field.
In the varsity eight grand final (the biggest race in magnitude), Gonzaga won its second straight and fourth championship in the last seven years (2002, 2005, 2007-08). The team finished with a winning time of 6:57.6, followed by Western Washington (6:58.7), UC Davis (7:00.6), San Diego State (7:03.6), San Diego (7:05.0) and Sacramento State (7:11.8).
In the novice eight final, San Diego State posted a winning time of 7:11.8, followed by Gonzaga (7:18.9), UC Davis (7:21.0), Willamette (7:27.7) and Sacramento State (7:29.0) to round out the top five.
The remaining times for the Hornets’ grand final participants can be found below. All six Sacramento State boats reached their grand final events by placing among the top three boats in their respective heats yesterday.
Sacramento State returns to the water next week (May 9-10) when the team travels to Philadelphia to compete in the Dad Vail Regatta.
NOVICE LIGHTWEIGHT FOUR GRAND FINAL
1. Cal Lightweights 8:05.0
2. Long Beach State 8:10.6
3. Willamette 8:17.1
4. Sacramento State 8:24.8
5. Pacific Lutheran 8:26.4
6. Evergreen 8:26.6
PAIR GRAND FINAL
1. Long Beach State 8:17.9
2. Portland 8:30.8
3. Pacific Lutheran 8:38.4
4. Sacramento State 8:53.1
5. Pacific 8:57.9
6. UC Davis 9:14.4
VARSITY FOUR GRAND FINAL
1. Sacramento State 7:35.7
2. Gonzaga 7:45.4
3. UC Santa Barbara 7:51.0
4. Saint Mary’s 7:51.0
5. Long Beach State 7:58.7
6. San Diego 8:10.0
NOVICE EIGHT GRAND FINAL
1. San Diego State 7:11.8
2. Gonzaga 7:18.9
3. UC Davis 7:21.0
4. Willamette 7:27.7
5. Sacramento State 7:29.0
6. Orange Coast College 7:29.0
SECOND VARSITY EIGHT GRAND FINAL
1. Gonzaga 7:00.2
2. UC Davis 7:01.8
3. Sacramento State 7:09.8
4. Loyola Marymount 7:13.5
5. Western Washington 7:16.2
6. San Diego State 7:22.2
VARSITY EIGHT GRAND FINAL
1. Gonzaga 6:57.6
2. Western Washington 6:58.7
3. UC Davis 7:00.6
4. San Diego State 7:03.6
5. San Diego 7:05.0
6. Sacramento State 7:11.8
