LAKEWOOD, Wash. – The Western Washington University women’s rowing team opened the 2019 season winning four of six races at the PLU Invitational raced on Saturday on American Lake.
The Vikings Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ each won a pair of races to account for the four wins at the season-opening Regatta matching up against Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Puget Sound.
“I thought today went pretty well and it was good to get in some competition and out of the winter doldrums,” said 21st-year WWU head coach John Fuchs. “I thought everybody handled themselves well and traveled well. It was good to get into the raceday routine, and that’s the design of doing something in early March. We have a long way to go, but it was a good way to start.”
The V8+ won both of its races, finishing in 7:17.5 in the first race of the morning vs. UPS (7:31.3) and then closed out the day with a victory finishing the 2,000m course in 7:36.4, a 8.56 second advantage over PLU (7:45.0).
The V4+, which took home the NCAA Division II national title in 2018, also won both its races. WWU finished the first race in 8:27.0, well ahead of the PLU Novice 4 (9:59.5) and closed out the perfect day in the second race finishing in 8:49.9 for a wide margin of victory over PLU (9:38.2).
WWU’s second varsity 8 crew finished 2nd in both of their races.
RACE RESULTS
The Vikings won four of their six races on Saturday, with the Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ sweeping their races against PLU and UPS.