Rowing: Second Varsity Eight Advances to Grand Final of NCAA Championships – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
GOLD RIVER, Calif. With its first-place finish in its morning heat Friday, the Ohio State Second Varsity Eight crew advanced to the Grand Final of the 2008 NCAA Rowing Championships at 1:45 ET Sunday on Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif. The 2V8 will look to better its personal-best fourth-place standing from 2005 and 2006.
After finishing fourth in its initial heat, the First Varsity Four will return to action at 12:15 ET Saturday in one of two Repechage races. The Top 2 boats from each Repechage will move on to the Grand Final Sunday. The First Varsity Eight will compete in the C Final at 2 p.m. ET Sunday after consecutive sixth-place finishes on the first day.
The Buckeye 2V8, comprised of Simone Haubner, Carolin Helmholz, Mary Sheehan, Susanne Herbrand, Nora Franzen, Charlott Goldstein, Peta-Leigh Dakyns, Sara Wallace and Erika Benford, continued to excel on its season when it finished ahead of its nearest competitor by nearly five seconds. Ohio State, which clocked in at 6:44.87, immediately took the lead on the field and held its advantage throughout the race. At about the 500-meter mark, the crew had a 34 stroke-per-minute rate that propelled it to an open-water lead. Behind the Buckeyes in second place was California (6:49.17), while Tennessee rounded out the Top 3 (6:53.30).
Racing in the fifth lane, the 1V4 of Jackie Ruetenik, Ingrid Aasaaren, Johnna Burns, Tess Prescotti and Kristin DiJosie, rowed out of the starting line in fifth place, but was able to push itself up to fourth at the 1,000-meter mark, where it maintained that position for the remainder of the race, finishing in a time of 7:42.17. Virginia (7:27.07) was able to pull ahead of Big Ten Conference competitor Michigan State (7:31.83) for first and a spot in the Grand Final, while Brown (7:34.28) edged the Buckeyes for third.
In the C Final, the 1V8 crew of Claudia Wurzel, Andrea Dymalski, Patricia Goodeman, Zuzanna Trzcinska, Gabriele Albertaviciute, Katie Flarida, Anniken Ellingsen, Cleonice Renzetti and Kate Hanseman, can only place as high as 13th following a sixth-place finish in its morning and Repechage races. Competing against a tough field in No. 3 Yale, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 7 Harvard, No. 11 USC and No. 13 Wisconsin, the No. 13 Buckeyes crossed the finish line at 6:36.01. Yale won the heat in 6:25.60 and Michigan State (6:27.25) and Harvard (6:27.56) made up the Top 3.
In its Repechage race, the First Varsity Eight needed to finish in the Top 3 in order to remain in contention for the A/B Semifinals, but again was sixth, clocking in at 6:48.22. Southern California was first with a time of 6:40.77.
Day two of the 2008 NCAA Championships will continue at 11 a.m. ET Saturday.
2008 NCAA Championships
May 30 June 1
Lake Natoma
Gold River, Calif.
Day One Results
First Varsity Eight (Heat 1)
1. Yale 6:25.60
2. Michigan State 6:27.25
3. Harvard 6:27.56
4. Wisconsin 6:29.87
5. USC 6:33.40
6. Ohio State 6:36.01
First Varsity Eight (Repechage)
1. USC 6:40.77
2. Washington State 6:41.68
3. Michigan 6:42.01
4. Wisconsin 6:43.22
5. Clemson 6:47.28
6. Ohio State 6:48.22
7. Tennessee 6:50.92
Second Varsity Eight (Heat 1)
1. Ohio State 6:44.87
2. California 6:49.17
3. Tennessee 6:53.30
4. Michigan State 6:53.38
5. Harvard 6:54.63
6. Yale 6:58.38
First Varsity Four (Heat 1)
1. Virginia 7:27.07
2. Michigan State 7:31.83
3. Brown 7:34.28
4. Ohio State 7:42.17
5. Washington State 7:46.87
6. Tennessee 7:52.68
