Commentary
San Diego: Facts and Future
by Dan DeBonis
posted on April 4, 2005
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| All quiet on the Western course |
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| click images for full-size version |
Quick rundown from SD, 3 pm PT;
Almost straight tailwind on much the course, bright sun, good conditions.
Copley Cup, Men's Varsity 8: 1. Cal, 2 Stanford, 3. Northeastern. Stanford served notice that they are going to be a force to contend with on both the West coast and National scene, but it was Cal that showed they are still top dogs in the first of many meetings these two crews will have this year. Cal edged away from Navy, Stanford and Northeastern in the 2nd 500. Navy faded after a game effort early, but Cal never broke open water from a determined Stanford (at least from the ship to shore call). Northeastern again raced tough this year, charging hard in the last 500 to nearly overtake Stanford.
Showing the depth of the Cal program, their 2V and 3V men's 8's finished first and third in the JV race, sandwiching a strong effort from Northeastern.
The women's Whittier Cup was all Cal, open water early and cruising, looking strong at the finish. While the Stanford and Northeastern men stepped up to challenge the Cal men in the absence of Washington, nobody from the women's 8 pack here showed the kind of early season speed to race with Cal.
Cal also won the women's JV race, with Washington State beating out Stanford for 2nd.
More racing observations:
The Trinity men's 8 got their money's worth out of their trip West, entering and winning both the Men's Open event and the Men's Cal Cup. Trinity was impressive, never being challenged the whole weekend in either event.
The San Diego State women broke open a close Women's Cal Cup race to win over very good Central Florida and Sac State crews.
For the juniors, it was the Marin boys and the Oakland Strokes girls posting open water victories in the fast conditions.
And the novices, Cal won open water victories in both events.
Other notes:
The USC band sending off the Trojan crews with the USC fight song is a pretty cool thing, a side benefit of Title IX.
The loudest ovation all weekend, by far, was for the San Diego State women after their victory in the Cal Cup. Great win for the vibrant San Diego rowing scene.
Master's rowing at the crew classic is no joke. Some of the times of master's races run close to the collegiate petite finals this morning were very comparable. The master's "rolodex" crews were in full swing this weekend. Hearing many former national team rowers greeting each other with "Hey, who are you rowing with out here".
The competition for best van labels was also heated (this is usually done by using colored tape or writing on the windows of the dozens of rental vans that shuttle juniors in particular to the race). A presumably Canadian crew may have had the best, some play on strokes from Canada...
What does an early season result at the crew classic mean come June championship time? Last year, on the men's side, Cal beat Washington in San Diego, while the Huskies finished ahead at the IRAs. Cal's women won the 04 crew classic and finished 6th at the NCAA's, ahead of Washington. Lotta strokes still to be taken this year.
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