MILWAUKEE – With hardly a week on the water this season, the Wisconsin women's openweight and lightweight teams took advantage of a great weather day and headed east on Interstate 94 to compete at the Milwaukee River Challenge on Saturday.

Racing on the Menomonee and Milwaukee Rivers over three miles, Badger boats swept the top four spots in the women's open eight and three of the top four places in the women's open four.

With boats set by class, the junior openweights took home the open eight crown with a time of 16:55.614. That time was just over eight seconds faster than runner-up and senior-laden Wisconsin A (17:03.977).

Wisconsin's lightweight eight entry finished third in 17:19.449, ahead of the openweight sophomores, who crossed the line in 17:49.890.

"This year we brought more women than in years past," openweight associate head coach Nancy LaRocque said. "We brought sophomores, juniors and seniors who made their erg standards.

"All the boats did a great job racing. We've been on the water less than a week or so, so it is sort of a fun way to kick off the season. To have sort of a class day race, so to speak.

In the fours, UW's openweights took the top two spots, clocking times of 18:06.144 and 18:17.696, for the sweep.

"The fours did a great job coming in first and second," LaRocque stated. "The top eight kids raced this morning in the four. We are really proud of how they did."

After Lincoln Park Boat Club crossed the line, in a time good for third, UW's two lightweight entries finished fourth and eighth in 18:48.867 and 20:03.152, respectively.

"We used the fours event to give more experience to the underclasses," lightweight coach Dusty Mattison said. "Especially for our coxswain Anika Chatterjee, giving her an additional race down the course.

"Our D entry was our freshman four. They represented a solid class that we have this fall. I know they were excited and a little bit nervous, but they did a fantastic job, moving up three places, from starting in 11th to finishing eighth. That was great for them, because they got to pass three boats."  

It's back to practice for the women's rowing teams, and the squads are off until the weekend of Oct. 7-8. The openweights will race with Iowa and Indiana in Iowa City, Iowa, on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7, before competing at the Head of the Rock in Rockford, Illinois, on Oct. 8. The lightweights will head directly to the Head of the Rock.

"Overall, we were pretty happy with how the day went," LaRocque said. "Considering how we boated today and the limited amount of time on the water.

"Meters in the bank for the spring time."

As for the lightweight point of view.

"What we saw, was how they just wanted to race and not think about it and have fun together," Mattison said. "I am noticing this year we have a group that is gelling together a lot quicker and I think that was showing today. They were able to put together solid races and look great doing it.

"I think it is a fantastic way to start out the fall."

Milwaukee River Challenge
Sept. 16, 2017
Menomonee and Milwaukee Rivers
3 miles

Women's Open Eight (11 entries)
1. Wisconsin C, 16:55.614; 2. Wisconsin A, 17:03.977; 3. Wisconsin B, 17:19.449; 4. Wisconsin D, 17:49.890

UW Lineups
A – Coxswain Rosie Brezynski, Gabby Simons, Callie Hebert, Lexi Siverling, Cheyenne Brandt, Morganne Freeman, Molly Jennerman, Megan Whitehouse, Marissa Gibson
B (Lightweight) – Coxswain Anika Chatterjee, Abigail Keith, Brianna Wynne, Kathryne Ruffalo, Mirha Girt, Janet Titzler, Rachel Illgen, Grace D'Souza, Brianna Ohm
C – Coxswain Saylor Martin, Renee Olley, Alicia Evans, Eliza Clifford, Niamh Martin, Sarah Gibbons, Alexandra Lohrenz, Lauren Ross, Elizabeth Clarke
D – Coxswain Maggie Mandarano, Katherine Grose, Raegan Hinrichs, Taylor Caudle, Orennia Goetzinger, Emily Wurst, Delaney Toepel (lightweight), Lauren O'Connor, Samantha Harris
 
Women's Open Four (18 entries)
1. Wisconsin A, 18:06.144; 2. Wisconsin C, 18:17.696; 3. Lincoln Park Boat Club, 18:46.227; 4. Wisconsin B, 18:48.867; 5. Purdue, 19:20.800; 8. Wisconsin D, 20:03.152

UW Lineups
A – Coxswain Saylor Martin, Gabby Simons, Callie Hebert, Megan Whitehouse, Molly Jennerman
B (Lightweight) – Coxswain Anika Chatterjee, Abigail Keith, Brianna Ohm, Grace D'Souza, Rachel Illgen
C – Coxswain Jane Merriman, Lexi Siverling, Cheyenne Brandt, Morganne Freeman, Marissa Gibson
D (Lightweight) – Coxswain Rachel Schwartz, Delaney Toepel, Sydney Wright, Sophia D'Angelo, Olivia Bronson