Boston University
Charles River Challenge
Women's Crew Races in Charles River Challenge
April 19, 2008 | Women's Rowing
April 19, 2008
SATURDAY MORNING
BOSTON - The Boston University women's rowing team is co-hosting the second annual Charles River Challenge on Saturday, April 19 through Sunday, April 20. BU will face crews from Dartmouth, Gonzaga, Harvard/Radcliffe, Northeastern, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Texas.
Racing begins on Saturday, April 19 at 9 a.m., continuing at 5 p.m. that night and again at 7 a.m. on Sunday, April 20.
During Saturday morning's racing, the Terriers struggled with the final 500m of the course. In the varsity eight's race, BU was last off the line but settled in during the second 500m. Brown moved out in front, leaving BU and Gonzaga dead even. The Terriers made a move at 1100m and had half a length lead by 1250, but Gonzaga caught up in the final 300 and edged out Boston U.
The JV race was nearly identical, with Brown out by open water at 500 and the Terriers and the Zags even. BU started to move at 1000 and held a 3/4 length lead at 1500m, but the Bulldogs attacked with less than 300m remaining and claimed the win. The BU novices also struggled off the line, but moved into third place by 750m. However, Northeastern moved past the Terriers as BU couldn't get its blades in the water cleanly.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
In Saturday afternoon's racing, the varsity and JV eights bounced back with wins in their heats. The varsity defeated Texas by nearly seven seconds, while the JV won by almost nine seconds. The varsity got off the line well and held a slight lead through 500m. Nice, long strokes moved the boat to a 3/4 length advantage at 1000m, and BU built a one length open water lead at the finish. In the JV race, the Terriers were down a 1/2 length through 1000m but made a move at 1200m to move about even with the Longhorns at the 1350m mark. A power 10 in the final 50m gave BU enough of a cushion to seal the victory.
In the novice eight race, BU was third through the first 1000m, and the Terriers' move at 1300m was answered by Northeastern after BU moved to within a 1/2 length. The 3V4+ "A" got off the line with Texas and stayed even with the 'Horns until 900m when UT turned it up and kept up the attack with a power 20 at 1300m. Texas took a one length lead at 1500m and remained ahead through to the finish. The 3V4+ "B" trailed the field through the 1000m but made a move and took over third by the final 500m, where it stayed the rest of the race.
Saturday Conditions: sunny and clear/cloudless, increasing tailwind from start to finish with a chop in the final 500m
SUNDAY
The Terriers faced a fast Notre Dame rowing team on Sunday morning, falling to the Irish in all five races. The JV started the day for BU. The Terriers and the Irish sprinted off the line, but ND kept up a higher stroke rating for longer to out-distance Boston University. The varsity race unfolded in a similar fashion, with Notre Dame staying at a 40 through 350m and opening up a one-length, open-water lead by the 1000m mark.
The novice eight improved after a full day of rowing on Saturday but struggled around the 1000m mark as Notre Dame turned it up and did not look back. The varsity "A" four improved its time by four seconds from Saturday, while the "B" four fell to Dartmouth and ND.
Sunday Conditions: Sunny and clear, increasing tailwind from start to finish.
