May 8, 2009
PHILADELPHIA – Seattle Pacific clocked the second-fastest time in the women’s NCAA Division II/III varsity eight competition Friday under the weather-altered racing format during the first day of the Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuykill River.
The fifth-ranked Falcons easily advanced to Saturday’s 12-boat semifinals, racing to a time of 4-minutes, 43.16-seconds over the abbreviated 1,500-meter course. That time was less than three seconds off the pace of the top-ranked Mercyhurst crew that registered the leading mark of 4:40.86.
The traditional side-by-side racing format over 2,000 meters was not used Friday. Instead, the course was shortened by 500 meters. Crews were started one at a time and a time-trial format was implemented to replace the heat races.
“It was a big adjustment,” SPU coach Keith Jefferson said of the revised racing format. “The important thing is, it’s the same thing -- still taking pressure strokes, running a race plan and doing what we do.
“It turned out positive because we finished a strong second. We rowed cleanly, the boat was set and they executed. That’s the way we plan -- forget about the uncontrollables.”
Grand Valley posted the third best time of 4:43.85 in the women’s varsity eight event, followed by fourth-ranked Philadelphia (4:45.65), Rochester (4:46.58), No. 3 Dowling (4:47.39) and No. 6 Nova Southeastern (4:51.25).
Heavy rains doused Philadelphia over the past week, raising the Schuykill River to the flood stage. The course, which was unable to be set up with buoys to designate lanes, was unavailable Thursday to teams planning to practice.
The high water level and swift current made for fast rowing conditions.
“I feel that my crew is strong over a short distance anyway, so I told them that we ought to be confident going into it,” said Jefferson, who admitted to concern about Friday’s time trial. “It was so foreign, everything from the get-go. With no practice, everything was bizarre. The only thing normal to us was our oar handles.
“We launched out of a shell house down the river. We didn’t know what to expect with the time trial thing over a fast river. There was not the usual high-speed racing start that we are used to. They just told you to go ahead and go. The gals did great and put it together when they had to put it together.”
The Falcons are scheduled to race Saturday at 4:47 a.m. Pacific Time (7:47 a.m. Eastern) in a six-crew semifinal, alongside Barry, Orange Coast, Grand Valley, RIT and Washington University. The top three finishers in that and the other semifinal advance to the championship final that is scheduled for 9:14 a.m. PDT (12:14 p.m. EDT).
“They are planning on doing the full course on Saturday with no buoy lines. It’s going to be a great little fiasco,” Jefferson said. “It could get up to 80 degrees today, but there are supposed to be thunderstorms back in this evening. That could change everything.
“They have all kinds of different scenarios depending on the conditions Saturday. They could even award medals based on today’s times. From NCAA seeding perspective, this is huge. It makes us obviously a little better than they thought we were.”
The SPU crew embarked on the 2,400-mile journey with the sole purpose of proving their worth to the NCAA selection committee. Last year, the Falcons women’s varsity eight did not receive an invitation to the NCAA Division II Championships, despite favorable results against their West Coast competition.
The NCAA Division II championship field consists of four teams and two at-large varsity eight entries. The trip to Philadelphia enables SPU to encounter all of the other contenders for the two at-large berths. The only nationally ranked varsity eight crew not competing at Dad Vail is No. 2 Western Washington.
Positive results this weekend should secure SPU’s selection to the NCAA Regatta, scheduled for May 29-31 on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J.
The Falcons have participated at the NCAAs once before, winning the varsity eight petite final in 2007.
Dad Vail Regatta president Jim Hanna explained that the change in Friday’s racing format made for “a safer way to row given the current conditions. These kids want to race and we feel this format is the best way to ensure that's exactly what they get.”
Hanna added that these changes should only apply to today's events, as the hope is to revert back to the original format for Saturday’s races.
2009 Dad Vail Regatta
Schuykill River; Philadelphia, Pa.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Women’s Division II/III Varsity Eight
(Top 12 Advance to semifinals)
1, Mercyhurst, 4:40.86
2, Seattle Pacific, 4:43.16
3, Grand Valley, 4:43.85
4, Philadelphia, 4:45.65
5, Rochester, 4:46.58
6, Dowling, 4:47.39
7, Nova Southeastern, 4:51.25
8, Orange Coast, 4:51.94
9, Humboldt State, 4:52.26
10, Washington University, 4:52.58
11, Barry, 4:53.75
12, Florida Tech, 4:54.59
13, Rollins, 4:57.05
14, Saint Thomas, 4:58.70
15, Florida, 4:59.53
16, Central Oklahoma, 5:01.16
17, Bryn Mawr, 5:04.28
18, Richard Stockton, 5:05.43
19, Susquehanna, 5:20.60
20, Carnegie Mellon, 5:20.60
21, Cazenovia, 5:23.93
22, Lawrence, 5:33.66
SPU lineup: cox-Annie Mulder, stroke-Rachel Savage, 7-Emily Pitts, 6-Eleni Johnsen, 5-Katie Degner, 4-Lacey Sheridan, 3-Holly Allan, 2-Katy Stine, bow-Katja Ibsen.
SATURDAY, MAY 9 -- SCHEDULE & LANE ASSIGNMENTS
Semifinal 1 -- 4:42 a.m. Pacific Time (7:42 a.m. EDT)
1 - Humboldt State
2 - Rochester
3 - Mercyhurst
4 - Philadelphia University
5 - Orange Coast College
6 - Florida Tech
Semifinal 2 -- 4:47 a.m. Pacific Time (7:47 a.m. EDT)
1 - Washington University
2 - Dowling
3 - Seattle Pacific
4 - Grand Valley State
5 - Nova Southeastern
6 - Barry
Championship Final -- 9:14 a.m. Pacific Time (12:14 p.m. EDT)
Second Final -- 11:20 a.m. Pacific Time (2:20 p.m. EDT)