Nov. 4, 2001
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - The San Diego State rowing team came away from Sunday's Newport Autumn Rowing Festival with four top-five finishes. The event was held in rainy and windy conditions at the Newport Aquatic Center.
The Aztecs' varsity eight "A" team finished in fifth place in a 22 team field with a time of 16:56. The SDSU "B" team finished 15th (17:41) after being pushed by another boat into a cement mooring bouy and sustaining several boken oars.
In the day's novice eight event, the SDSU "B" team's time of 18:02 helped it secure second place out of 25 teams. The SDSU "C" team (19:27) and SDSU "A" team (19:55) finished 16th and 19th respectively. The Aztecs' "A" team was hit by another boat and had to stop rowing.
The Aztecs scored a 3-4 finish in the open four event, with the "A" team finishing in 18:49 and the "B" team in 18:51. The SDSU Alumni team, made up of last season graduates, finished second in the competition with a time of 18:27.
"With a young team, we needed a 'first race' to get our experience level up," said SDSU head coach Scott Steckel. "Hitting a bouy and colliding with a another boat was unfortunate, but those are the kind of things you work through in the fall. Overall the team performed well for as early in the year as it is."
SDSU is scheduled to compete at the Head of the Lake Regatta in Seattle on Nov. 10 and at the San Diego Fall Classic on Nov. 11.