April 19, 2009
Lake Natoma Invitational Sunday Results
LAKE NATOMA, Calif. - The Stanford women's rowing team completed competition at the Lake Natoma Invitational Sunday, as the first and second varsity eights along with the fours crew all earned top-three finishes, helping the Cardinal to a second-place performance overall out of the nine schools in the competition.
The regatta featured all three NCAA boat classes and was scored in NCAA fashion, with points awarded to teams in the first varsity eight (on a 9-6-3 basis), second varsity eight (6-4-2) and varsity four (3-2-1).
Stanford, thanks in part to the second eight's victory in its Grand Final against California and Wisconsin, ended the day with 13 points, six ahead of third-place Wisconsin and three back of California, which accumulated 16 points to top the three schools in the first group.
"It really was an outstanding weekend of racing, with solid competition and excellent conditions," said women's head coach Yasmin Farooq. "I'm most proud of the effort the second varsity eight put forth to win the Grand Final, and it's a sign of the improving depth in our program. Hats off to Cal for winning the V8. They threw down three very fast races."
The varsity four started things off, as the Cardinal boat ran third in the Grand Final, crossing the line with a time of 7:42.62, little under 19 seconds back of the winning California boat.
The second eight, though, would give the Stanford fans reason to cheer as it registered a nearly six-second victory in the 2V8 Grand Final against the Golden Bears and Badgers.
California led Stanford to the 500-meter mark, but Stanford nosed ahead as the crews embarked on the middle 1,000 meters. Stanford claimed a half-length lead at the 1,000-meter mark, and then pressed into open water by the finish line.
The Cardinal crew completed the course in 6:32.77, ahead of California's time of 6:38.28 and Wisconsin's 6:39.42.
In the V8 Grand Final, third-ranked California led second-ranked Stanford and 16th-ranked Wisconsin off the line, opening that lead over Stanford by 3.9 seconds at the 1,000-meter mark, with Wisconsin another 3.3 seconds back. California expanded the lead to 6.2 seconds at the 1,500-meter mark.
Stanford had just over a boatlength on Wisconsin, when the Cardinal had anoarlock pop open with 400 meters to go. While the Cardinal crossed the line withseven rowers, it did not affect the order of finish.
Stanford's boat would cross the line in 6:29.41, just under nine seconds back of California's winning time of 6:20.56.
Contributing to the efforts in the three boats this weekend were: Kathy Altman, Sophie Aubrey, Susan Bryukhanov, Tiffany Dao, Di Eaton, Adrienne Fritsch, Elise Guinee-Cooper Marielle Higgins, Lauren Hofmayer, Sarah Kaewert, Cassie Kull, Jenna Levy, Elle Logan, Grace Luczak, Lindsay Meyer, Maura Moran, Katie O'Neil, Erin Radigan, Erika Roddy, Julianne Smith, Julia Thompson, Michelle Vezie, and Carly Villareal.
The Stanford women will return to action Saturday, May 2, getting another crack at California at Redwood Shores.