Rowing: Four Buckeye Crews Race Their Way into Grand Finals of 2008 Central/South Region Sprints – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Entering five boats in the 2008 Central/South Region Sprints in Oak Ridge, Tenn., the Ohio State rowing team cruised through the preliminary and semifinal heats Saturday, advancing four of five crews to the Grand Final of their respective races.
Action at the regional sprints will continue at 9 a.m. Sunday at Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Each placement in the final races for the events is assigned a point value. Teams with the highest point total from the Central and South Regions will be the regional champions. Ohio State has won the five-consecutive Central Regional championships.
In order to advance to the Grand Final, boats had to finish in the Top 3 (or Top 2 in Novice Eight) in the A/B Semifinals. Two Buckeye boats in the Second Varsity Four and Second Varsity Eight concluded their A/B Semifinal races in first place.
The first Ohio State boat to race its way into the Grand Final was the Second Varsity Four. In a field with three other Big Ten Conference programs Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana as well as Notre Dame and Central Florida, the Buckeyes were able to come away with the victory in 7:38.50. The Badgers (7:39.29) and Wolverines (7:48.16) completed the Big Ten Top 3 sweep. The 2V4 has an Ohio State-best four Grand Final wins at the Central/South Region Sprints.
By finishing in the Top 2 in the first Repechage, the Novice Eight secured its place in the Grand Final and will be seeking the program’s first Novice Eight Grand Final win Sunday. The Buckeyes claimed a second-place finish, clocking in at 7:13.98, just 1.08 seconds behind winner Clemson.
The First Varsity Four continued the trend of Ohio State boats advancing to the Grand Final when it finished second in its A/B Semifinal event. The Scarlet and Gray raced to the finish line in 7:44.27, 2.27 seconds after Michigan State, which won the event with a time of 7:42.00. Clemson rounded out the Top 3 with a time of 7:53.19. The 1V4 is seeking its first and second Grand Final win overall since 2003.
Coming off its third-place finish amongst a tough field in the Big Ten championships, the Second Varsity Eight pulled away with the victory in its A/B Semifinal heat that also featured conference opponents Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Buckeyes won the race in 6:43.20, while the Badgers were third with a time of 6:48.31 (4.15). Notre Dame was the race runner-up, clocking in at 6:47.12 (3.97). Ohio State is looking to add a 2008 Grand Final win to its triumph from 2006.
The First Varsity Eight finished fourth in the A/B Semifinals, crossing the line in 6:35.81. With the finish, the Buckeye crew will race in the Petite Final Sunday in hopes of a seventh-place standing. The 1V8 was going up against a tough field, facing the Nos. 9 (Virginia), 17 (Clemson), 6 (Tennessee) and 16 (Minnesota) First Varsity Eight crews in the country.
The Ohio State Second Varsity Eight and First and Second Varsity Four crews also won their respective morning heats to advance to the A/B Semifinals. The 2V8 outdistanced Tennessee by a little more than four seconds, clocking in at 6:43.50, while the Lady Vols crossed the finish line at 6:47.58. The 1V4 dominated its morning race, winning by more than eight seconds as the Buckeyes finished in a time of 7:25.80 compared to Wisconsin’s 7:33.89. Finishing its race in 7:36.70, the 2V4 beat Virginia by about five seconds as the Cavaliers crossed the line at 7:41.89.
The First Varsity Eight qualified for the A/B Semifinals by finishing second in its morning heat. The Buckeyes were edged by Michigan, 6:38.60-6:40.07.
2008 Central/South Region Sprints
May 17, 2008
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Melton Hill Lake
Preliminary Heats
Second Varsity Four (Open 4)
1. Ohio State 7:36.70
2. Virginia 7:41.89 (5.19)
3. Notre Dame (B Boat) 7:50.26 (13.56)
4. Texas 7:53.04 (16.34)
Novice Eight
1. Central Florida 6:59.60
2. Ohio State 7:04.71 (5.11)
3. Notre Dame 7:05.31 (5.71)
4. Iowa 7:11.37 (11.77)
5. Michigan State 7:11.83 (12.23)
6. North Carolina (B Boat) 7:23.99 (24.39)
7. Texas 7:27.70 (28.10)
First Varsity Four
1. Ohio State 7:25.80
2. Wisconsin 7:33.89 (8.09)
3. Texas 7:42.72 (16.92)
Second Varsity Eight
1. Ohio State 6:43.50
2. Tennessee 6:47.58 (4.08)
3. Texas 6:57.78 (14.28)
First Varsity Eight
1. Michigan 6:38.60
2. Ohio State 6:40.07 (1.47)
3. Texas 6:47.99 (9.39)
A/B/Semifinals Heats
Second Varsity Four (Open 4) (Top 3 advance to Grand Final)
1. Ohio State 7:38.50
2. Wisconsin 7:39.29 (.79)
3. Michigan 7:48.16 (9.66)
Novice Eight (Top 2 advance to Grand Final)
1. Clemson 7:12.90
2. Ohio State 7:13.98 (1.08)
First Varsity Four (Top 3 advance to Grand Final)
1. Michigan State 7:42.00
2. Ohio State 7:44.27 (2.27)
3. Clemson 7:53.19 (11.19)
Second Varsity Eight (Top 3 advance to Grand Final)
1. Ohio State 6:43.20
2. Notre Dame 6:47.12 (3.97)
3. Wisconsin 6:48.31 (4.15)
First Varsity Eight (Top 3 advance to Grand Final)
1. Virginia 6:31.00
2. Clemson 6:32.62 (1.62)
3. Tennessee 6:34.14 (3.14)
