In the face of rough weather, SPU braved the storm.
Seattle Pacific University’s women’s rowing team finished third at the UCO Invite on the Oklahoma River in Edmond, Oklahoma, from Friday, April 4, to Saturday, April 5.
Initially scheduled as a one-day event, the UCO Invite was rescheduled to start Friday evening and end with the final flight on Saturday morning to avoid the high-wind weather forecast.
The Falcons collected 43 points by the end of the regatta, grabbing three third-place finishes in six races between two varsity boats. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University won the event with 62 overall points. California Polytechnic University Humboldt finished second with 58 points.
Regatta recap:
The first flight on Friday evening opened with a five-lane race between Seattle Pacific, Cal Poly Humboldt, the University of Central Oklahoma, Embry-Riddle and Thomas Jefferson University.
The Varsity 8+ boats were neck and neck until the final strokes, each team finishing within seconds of each other. Seattle Pacific finished fourth at 7:13.5, one second behind Embry-Riddle’s 7:12.3. Cal Poly Humboldt had the largest lead of the heat, finishing in first place at 7:04.9, seven seconds ahead of second-place Central Oklahoma’s time of 7:11.8.
Seattle Pacific’s Varsity 4+ boat hit the waters next, taking third at 8:08.1, nearly 10 seconds behind second-place Embry-Riddle’s 7:59.8. Cal Poly Humboldt won the heat at 7:52.9.
The Falcons’ V8+ improved by five seconds in the second flight later in the evening. They finished with a time of 7:08.0, placing third. Embry-Riddle grabbed second at 7:07.3, and Cal Poly Humboldt won first at 7:04.0.
Seattle Pacific’s V4+ followed suit, shaving 10 seconds off its time from flight one. The Falcons finished third at 7:58.1. Cal Poly Humboldt won the heat at 7:43.1, and Embry-Riddle took second at 7:51.0.
The third and final flight on Saturday morning took a hit from the forecasted winds. Against the current, SPU’s V4+ finished 20 seconds slower but still brought home a second-place finish at 8:18.3 behind Embry-Riddle’s 8:13.3. Central Oklahoma placed third at 8:21.0.
Seattle Pacific’s V8+ added 33 seconds, finishing fourth at 7:41.5. Embry-Riddle took first at 7:20.4, Cal Poly Humboldt placed second at 7:23.1 and Central Oklahoma took third at 7:27.0.
Varsity Lineups:
The V8+ was coxed by junior Aleksia Haugen. Junior Gem Gatmaytan, freshman Solanes Capps-Mace, senior Audrey Rekedal, junior Bella Lisenby, graduate student Megan Rouse, sophomore Grace Combs, junior Amelia Pape and senior Addie Clark filled the boat.
Seattle Pacific’s V4+ was coxed by junior Lexi Roybal and filled out by junior Racquel Wesley, junior Emma Jones, sophomore Emmerson Spencer and senior Emma Ely.
Upcoming:
The Falcons are set for the WIRA Championships on Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27, on Lake Natoma in Gold River, California.
