Rowing Heads to San Diego for Crew Classic

3/27/2015 9:40:00 AM | Rowing

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – After a two-week break, the Duke rowing team returns to the water and heads to the San Diego Crew Classic on Saturday and Sunday. It will be the Blue Devils' first trip to the West Coast regatta since the 2013 campaign.

Duke's V8 will be one of 16 crews racing in the Cal Cup competition while at the Crew Classic. The V4 will take part in the Karen Plumleigh Cortney Cup race, pitting the top 15 V4 squads against each other. The Blue Devil 2V4 will be with six other boats in the Women's Collegiate 4+ B race and the 2V8 will be one of 17 crews racing in the Jackie Ann Stitt Hungness Trophy competition.

“We finally have had a little bit of time on the water,” head coach Robyn Horner said. “That has allowed us to get our lineups set and start practicing with more implementation of our race plan. When we went to Clemson [two weeks ago], because we hadn't been on the water, we tried to row at a little bit lower stroke rate. The biggest adjustment is now we're back at a normal racing rate. I've seen really big improvements.”

The San Diego Crew Classic was formed in 1973 and has grown into the largest regatta in the world held for primarily eight-oared rowing shells. This year, approximately 115 races will take place with more than 4,400 athletes competing.

The women's Cal Cup races begin at 10:44 a.m. ET Saturday with the first heat, in which Duke's V8 will be in Lane 1. The Blue Devils' V4 will begin at 11:56 a.m. in Lane 3 of the Karen Plumleigh Cortney Cup's first heat. The squad's 2V8 will race in Lane 2 at 12:52 p.m. in the Jackie Ann Stitt Hungness Trophy's second heat. Duke's 2V4 will row at 2:40 p.m. Sunday in Lane 4 of the finals only Women's Collegiate 4+ B race.

The Blue Devils began the season March 14 at Clemson, capturing four top-two finishes racing against the host Tigers and Boston University's lightweight team. Duke's V8 and V4 crews each finished second two times in the six total races.

Following the Crew Classic, Duke will have a weekend off and then race against Columbia and Northeastern on Saturday, April 11, in Leonia, N.J.

“The team realizes that our window is getting smaller and smaller,” Horner added. “Once we get back from San Diego, we have only about seven weeks. We really are trying to elevate every day and make adjustments in the boat that will make the boat better every day. That's where our main focus is.”

Duke Lineups
V8 – Simone Pitre – Phoebe Donovan, Tara Dalton, Jessica Findlay, Caroline Williams, Katie Dukovich, Claire Vannelli, Elizabeth Horne, Katherine Maitland
2V8 – Karla Beltran – Caroline Murphy, Lauren Miranda, Rachel Wolsfelt, Sarah Fletcher, Alex Stonehill, Julie Rohde, Mary Wilson, Hannah Hewitt
V4 – Samantha Bowman – Tani O'Neill, Sophia Staal, Patricia Kolman, Karolina Wadolowska
2V4 – Megan Bowen – Laura Rosas, Sophia Blair, Nicole Antoine, Sarah Rapaport