AZTEC ROWING CLAIMS TWO GOLDS, ONE BRONZE IN SUNDAY’S FINALS AT WIRA CHAMPIONSHIPS

SDSU V8 finishes third, 2V8 and V4 each take first in final events 

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

April 28, 2019 (Gold River, Calif.) - Following Saturday’s first-place finishes in three preliminary races and a gold medal performance in the second varsity four final, the San Diego State rowing team wrapped its weekend on Lake Natoma at the WIRA Championships by earning bronze in the varsity eight final and golds in both the second varsity eight and varsity four.

“Two golds and a bronze – it was a great Sunday on Lake Natoma,” head rowing coach Bill Zack said. “The strength and depth of the team was on full display and was noticed by the race announcers, the crowd and the awesome group of Aztec family and friends on the shore. The team will continue to work to improve over the next three weeks leading up to the conference championship.”

After putting up a first-place time in Saturday’s second heat, the varsity eight crew competed from the second lane in the Women’s 8+ final at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, where they ultimately claimed bronze medals with a final time of 6:40.899. The Stanford Lightweight crew pulled up to take first with a time of 6:32.577 and were followed by USD, who finished with a less than half a boat length over the Aztecs in 6:37.957. Trailing the Scarlet and Black were AAC foe Sacramento State (6:43.575), Loyola Marymount (6:49.093) and University of Portland (6:51.779).

“We started with a lead on all the other teams,” sophomore coxswain Hannah Broadland said following the V8 race. “Stanford lightweights pulled up even by the first 300 meters, but we held our lead on USD. At about 750 meters to go, USD started to walk back up on us and got a four seat lead. We finished in third overall, ahead of Sac State in fourth.”

The second varsity eight crews were on the water at 9:40 a.m. and the SDSU boat improved its first place time from Saturday’s prelims by more than 11 seconds to grab gold in the final, finishing in 6:46.176 in what proved to be a tight race. The 2V8 crew from Sac State came in second with a time of 6:47.398, and were followed by LMU (6:48.809). Finishing in the fourth through sixth positions were USD (6:54.520), Stanford Lightweight (6:59.336) and Portland (7:08.740).

In the Aztecs’ final event of the weekend, the varsity four crew got on the water at 10:30 a.m. where they competed in lane one after qualifying with the best time in Saturday’s prelim. The Scarlet and Black ultimately finished first with a time of 7:26.851, claiming more than a three-second margin over USD (7:30.031). LMU claimed bronze in 7:32.907 and were trailed by Portland (7:49.613), Sac State (7:51.579), Stanford Lightweight (8:13.965) and Saint Mary’s (8:20.947).

Up next, the San Diego State rowing squad prepares for The American Conference Championships, which are set for Sunday, May 19 in Oklahoma City, Okla. 

WIRA Championship

April 28, 2019

Lake Natoma (Gold River, Calif.)

Results

Varsity Eight Final – 8:30 a.m.

Stanford Lightweight: 6:32.557

USD: 6:37.957

SDSU: 6:40.899

Sacramento State: 6:43.575

Loyola Marymount: 6:49.093

University of Portland: 6:51.779

Second Varsity Eight Final – 9:40 a.m.

SDSU: 6:46.176

Sacramento State: 6:47.398

Loyola Marymount: 6:48.809

USD: 6:54.520

Stanford Lightweight: 6:59.336

University of Portland: 7:08.740

Varsity Four Final – 10:30 a.m.

SDSU: 7:26.851

USD: 7:30.031

Loyola Marymount: 7:32.907

University of Portland: 7:49.613

Sacramento State: 7:51.579

Stanford Lightweight: 8:13.965

Saint Mary’s: 8:20.947

Lineups

V8: Laura Keane (bow), Maia Graham (two), Greta Viss (three), Brooke Boron (four), Larisa Sulcs (five), Alexa Dietz (six), Kaytlin Barker (seven), Helen Bauer (stroke), Hannah Broadland (coxswain). 

2V8: Hannah Norris (bow), Anastasia Vontzou (two), Malia Metkiff (three), Julia Camillucci (four), Michelle Jacob (five), Alana Grollo (six), Phoebe Dammersmith (seven), Maddie Bernard (stroke), Bella De Avila (coxswain).

V4: Deborah Worthey (Helix HS/bow), Grace Reginato (two), Maire Shannon Malloy (three), Brooke Hepner (stroke), Madison Fisk (coxswain).

2V4: Naomi Marroquin (bow), Kyler Sloan (two), Aleks Manikowska (three), Ellie Alexopoulos (stroke), Julie Santiago (coxswain).