The UCSD women’s crew competed in the annual San Diego City Championships on April 19. One of the last before the season’s championships, this regatta, with competition between UCSD, USD and SDSU, is a good indicator of how the team is doing.
The Tritons participated in six races. UCSD finished second in the frosh eight/novice four, first in the novice eight, third in the second varsity eight, third in the varsity eight, third in the varsity four and second in the second novice eight.
“”All crews were very happy with their races and feel the speed work we’ve done in the past week is strengthening their start and finish,”” said UCSD women’s head coach Patti Pinkerton.
The first race was the frosh eight/novice four. SDSU finished first with a time of 8:03.5, UCSD second with 8:15.9 and USD third with 8:33.7. In UCSD’s boat were coxswain Arianna Pilram, Megan Kelly, Lauren Ruiz, Carly Moore and Alex Lloyd.
The novice eight race was next, in which UCSD finished first at 7:12.9. SDSU finished second at 7:21.3 and USD third with 7:30.0. UCSD’s boat included coxswain Jen Hildebrand, Stephanie Wuerz, Becky Gianotti, Megan McCarty, Cara Kuebert, Kelly Rayome, Karry Davis, Ashley Adams and Dannan Hodge.
“”It was very exciting that the novices won,”” Pinkerton said. “”Full marks to novice coach Steve Casey and the novice squad.””
In the second varsity eight race, USD came in first at 7:22.4, SDSU second at 7:36.8 and UCSD third at 7:46.3. At the 1,200-meter mark, the Aztecs held the lead, but lost it when they hit the buoy, breaking their rigger. UCSD’s boat included coxswain Claire Romelfanger, Liz Jones, Monica Miller, Anne Roddy, Joyce Chang, Tess Kornfield, Mel Kaelberer, Bryn Moser and Lauren Cooper.
Competing in the fourth race for the varsity eight for UCSD were coxswain Claire Doyle, Emily Gray, Jenny Hasty, Sarah Smolley, Sara Patton, Amber Hopkins, Natalie Seitz, Morgan Dawirs and Alexis Kleckner. USD finished at 6:56.0, SDSU with 7:05.9 and UCSD last with 7:22.3.
In the varsity four race, USD finished first with a time of 7:45.9. SDSU finished next with 7:56.2 and UCSD third with 8:11.8.
In UCSD’s boat were coxswain Phoebe Lee, Amanda Shirley, Jen Watters, Stephanie Barriere and Liz Record.
“”The varsity crews definitely have closed the gap on both of the [Division I] schools in San Diego,”” Pinkerton said.
The second novice eight boat competed last in the day. SDSU came in first at 7:15.5 and UCSD second at 7:20.9.
“”The second novice eight had a terrific race against the [SDSU] second eight; [they] only lost in the final sprint home,”” Pinkerton said.
Pinkerton believes the novice teams can look forward to good finishes in the upcoming championships.
“”For our lightweights and novices, we will be looking for medals and possible championships at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Championships, while our open crews should medal at the [National Collegiate Athletic Association’s] qualifying regatta [Pacific Coast Rowing Championships],”” Pinkerton said. “”Our plan is to be fast enough at those races to earn a bid for the national championships.””
The next regatta will be April 26 against Chapman and UC Santa Barbara at Newport Harbor.
“”The regatta is an important tune-up regatta for WIRA [Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association],”” Pinkerton said. “”We will test our final lineups to know where we should be.””
