April 22, 2003
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's rowing team won two of the five events at the annual San Diego City Championship regatta. The event featured men's and women's crew teams from UC San Diego, University of San Diego and SDSU. All races were 2000meter finals only.
San Diego State won the novice four gold medal, finishing in 8:03.5, followed by UCSD (8:15.9) and USD (8:33.70). Audrey Edney sat in the stroke seat for the SDSU shell with Denise Gilmore-McPherson serving as the coxswain. Rachel Young, Whitney Hannum, and Eleanor Rollings, sitting bow, rounded out the lineup for the novice four, the same lineup used to win the varsity four event at last week's UCLA Miller Cup regatta.
The lightweight eight team, ranked eighth in the country, raced in the novice eight final. The crew was unable to overcome a battle with UCSD after catching a crab, as the Tritons claimed the victory. SDSU did, however, manage to beat the University of San Diego, finishing in a time of 7:21.3.
San Diego State took the early lead in the second varsity eight final. After 1000 meters, the Aztecs increased their lead to two boat-lengths over USD. Unfortunately, the San Diego State boat encountered adversity as the coxswain misjudged a buoy in the course and ran head-on into it at the 1200-meter mark. The force of the impact caused the bow seat's rigger to snap in half, thus rendering the two athletes in the bow pair of the boat useless for the remainder of the race. The Aztecs, now competing with only six rowers, held off USD at 38 stroked per minute before the Toreros overtook the Aztecs for the victory. San Diego State finished second, clocking in at 7:36.0
"It was one of the toughest things I have had to watch us do," said SDSU head coach Scott Steckel. "I am glad nobody was hurt and I was impressed with the guts of the six remaining rowers who would not give up in a situation where most crews would have. They almost won, despite rowing half the race with only six athletes and, essentially, three passengers."
The lineup in the second varsity consisted of Amber Kerns (stroke), Stella Conger, Stephanie Loutas, Sarah McKillip, Sarah Fox, Krista Lysogorski, Rachel Saldivar, Rebecca Cattaneo (bow), and Alison Abrams (cox).
Representing the Aztec varsity eight were Ashley Paiko (stroke), Brittany McMahon, Alicia Stuebner, Amy Opielowski, Kristin Olson, Stephanie Snaman, Venesa Meses, Kate Stromberg (bow) and Alicia Chudy (coxswain). The Aztecs struggled with a staggered start and turned mid-way though the race on what was a new course at the championships this year. USD (6:56.0) placed first, followed by SDSU (7:05.9) and UCSD (7:22.3). The second-place finish snapped the Aztecs' eight-year winning streak in the women's varsity eight race at the San Diego City Championships.
"We sort of let this one go. We were capable of beating a fast USD squad but let other things come into the race affect us," said Steckel. "Our team is young. We will battle back and fight to go faster during the remainder of the season. The youth that is our weakness now may turn out to be our strength in the long run."
The crew competes in the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (W.I.R.A.) Championship regatta May 3-4. The races will take place on Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, Calif., and will serve as a conference championship for the Aztecs. The association features men's and women's rowing teams from 31 universities. Heats will take place on Saturday with finals held on Sunday.
Results
Women's Frosh Eight/Novice Four1. San Diego State 8:03.52. UC San Diego 8.15.93. University of San Diego 8.33.7
Women's Novice Eight1. UC San Diego 7.12.92. San Diego State 7.21.33. University of San Diego 7.30.0
Women's Second Varsity Eight1. University of San Diego 7.22.42. San Diego State 7.36.83. UC San Diego 7.46.3
Women's Varsity Eight1. University of San Diego 6.56.02. San Diego State 7.05.93. UC San Diego 7.22.3
Women's Varsity Four1. University of San Diego 7.45.92. San Diego State 7.56.23. UC San Diego 8.11.8
Women's Second Novice Eight1. San Diego State 7.15.52. UC San Diego 7.20.9
Conditions: Slight incoming tide, no wind, for early races. Very strong incoming tide for last three races with tail wind. 2000m dogleg course, with floating starts.