Wisconsin Opens 2004 NCAA Rowing Championships
May 28, 2004 | Women's Rowing
All three Wisconsin boats will race in repechage heats in hopes of reaching the semifinals after the varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four placed outside the automatic qualifying positions in morning heats on the opening day of the 2004 NCAA Rowing Championships, Friday.
Racing began on Lake Natoma at 8 a.m. PT, with flat water for the rowers. Competing in the second race of the day, Wisconsin's championships began with heat two of the varsity eight. The Badgers were relatively slow off the line and were last in their heat at 500 meters. No. 1 California got out to the early lead, but by 1000 meters, Michigan overtook the Bears and held on for the rest of the race to win the heat. The Badgers posted the slowest second 500 meters and remained in the rear at 1000 meters. Wisconsin then increased its pace relative to the remaining crews and closed a nearly two-second gap between itself and Texas to just one-half second by 1500 meters. The UW then powered to the second-fastest final 500 meters, passing Texas for fourth place in the heat. Michigan (6:45.80), California and Virginia took the top three spots to qualify for Saturday's semifinals. Wisconsin and Texas will race again this afternoon in the repechage for a second chance to qualify.
In heat one of the varsity eight, Ohio State, Washington and surprising Notre Dame advanced to the semifinals, while in heat three, Brown, Yale and Princeton advanced. That leaves Wisconsin, Texas, Michigan State, Southern California, Harvard, Washington State and Tennessee to fight it out for the last three semifinal spots.
Brown rowed away from the field to victory in Wisconsin's second varsity eight heat to advance to Sunday's grand final. The Bears jumped out to over a second lead by 500 meters and never looked back with a finishing time of 6:47.27. Virginia placed second, over five seconds behind in 6:52.66. Michigan was third in 6:55.89, with Wisconsin (6:56.94) finishing in striking distance. Ohio State, which took a short advantage, and Michigan State. Only the heat winner qualifies for the grand final, while the remaining boats race on Saturday in the repechage for a second chance at the final. Washington won the second heat in the second varsity eight to also reach the grand final.
Wisconsin will also race in Saturday's repechage in the varsity four after placing fourth in its heat. Ohio State, varsity four Big Ten champions, won the heat in 7:35.40, outdistancing second-place Washington by 3.3 seconds to earn a pass to the grand final. Washington and the rest of the boats in the heat, including third-place Brown, Wisconsin, fifth-place Michigan and sixth-place Harvard must finish among the top two in their repechage heats to reach the grand final. Virginia won heat two, joining the Buckeyes in Sunday's grand final.
Wisconsin's varsity eight races against at 4 p.m. PT in its quest to reach tomorrow's semifinals. The Badgers also race Saturday morning in repechage heats for the varsity four and second varsity eight. The varsity four begins at 9:30 a.m. PT, while the second varsity eight begins at 10 a.m. PT. The varsity eight semifinals begin tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. PT.
