UW Set To Race at Midwest Rowing Championhips
April 22, 2005 | Lightweight Rowing
The 33rd annual Midwest Rowing Championships will be held on Lake Wingra in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, April 23. Over 235 boats from at least 35 different universities and club teams will be in town for the competition with the action beginning at approximately 7 a.m. Saturday morning.
Wisconsin's three crew programs, its men's, women 's openweight and women's lightweight teams, take center stage, along with teams from all across the Midwest. The men and openweight women are ranked at No. 15, while the lightweights are the defending national champions.
The Midwest Rowing Championships were started by former UW men 's head coach Randy Jablonic in 1973 and have been run each year since. Wisconsin 's men's varsity eight has won the event each year since 1982 and 30 of the 32 times overall. The women's openweight eight has taken first 29 of the 32 years, and has been reigning champs the last three. The lightweight eight has taken first in all seven years they have competed in a lightweight eight event.
Adjustments have been made over time to the format, including maybe the most important change, which was made within the last three years. Crews now launch within speaking distance of the finish line off Vilas Beach, allowing spectators to mingle with the athletes and earn a greater understanding of what goes into a regatta. In the past, athletes launched from the start line at Wingra Park to the west and spectators never saw the athletes prepare for the races.
LIGHTWEIGHT WOMEN
For the lightweights, this weekend is their first time home. They have been racing on both the West and East Coasts to start their spring season. Even though they have been on the road, the team has been racing against other national powers, and have only been improving. This week, Georgetown becomes the first lightweight Crew from the East to race in Madison against the Badgers. The Hoyas finished fourth at last years national championship and will give the Badgers their most challenging lightweight race ever held at the Midwest Rowing Championships.
Last year the Badgers' varsity lightweight eight beat New Trier and Miami in the Grand Final with a time of 8:09.9. The lightweight fours competed against two boats and finished one and two in the grand final. The Wisconsin B won in a time of 8:18.7 and the Wisconsin A boat finishing in second with a time of 8:27.8.
OPENWEIGHT WOMEN
The openweight crew has raced against five different teams in the top-10 in the past two weeks and still looks for its first victory of the season. The second varsity eight has posted better results, winning four of five races against those same teams, and looks to continue its winning ways this weekend. Wisconsin's other NCAA boat, the varsity four, is a perfect 2-0 on the season.
Last year, the openweight fours won both the grand and petite finals. All four boats that competed placed in either final. The second openweight eights finished first, second and third, while the varsity eight took first in the time of 6:59.35.
MEN
The men's varsity eight was in California and lost to No. 17 Michigan and No. 13 Oregon, then came back to Madison and lead the team to a four race sweep of Minnesota. So far this year, the men's second varsity team is unbeaten at home, taking care of fellow Big Ten schools, Michigan and Minnesota.
Last year the men won in the open pairs, novice four, novice eight, open four, second open four and open eight, sweeping all the events entered. The varsity eight won in a time of 6:01.3, while the second varsity four took first with the time of 6:42.4.
