The event is one of two hosted by the conference each spring. The other is the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Association Championships on April 19. …Lewis & Clark College, out of Portland, Ore., serves as the event host.
Regatta Notes: The schedule has Humboldt State’s two most important races at the onset of the day, with both the Varsity 8 and Varsity 4 near the beginning. Those are the two events that count for NCAA Division II qualification, which requires the in-region squads to face one another a minimum number of times during the spring racing season. HSU will go up against its rivals, Seattle Pacific, Western Washington and UC San Diego, with race counting in head-to-head match-ups that will eventually determine who gets the two automatic berths in the NCAA Championships and the one possible at-large berth.
The very last event on the day’s schedule is an Open/Collegiate 8 race that offers another chance for the various boats to go head-to-head. The crews from the Division II schools, with the exception of Seattle Pacific, will battle one another for the second time in one day.
Lumberjacks Notes: Stepping up to provide leadership in the stroke seat for HSU has been sophomore Shyanne Chilton. This weekend’s regatta provides Chilton with a chance to race near her hometown of Vancouver, Wash. The lineup for HSU’s Varsity 8 boat is Chilton, Nicki Beckemeyer, Crystal Espinoza, Pilar Fernandez-Baumann, Kristite Snider, Elan May, Jackie Colloton, Karen Russo, Hilda Kwan and Clare Nowel at coxswain. The Lumberjacks’ Varsity 4 lineup includes Colleen Miks, Heather Macdonald, Katie Hemen and Jessica Booth, with Nowel again at coxswain.
While last week’s times indicated significant improvement, HSU head coach Robin Meiggs is quick to temper her expectations, with moving water one mitigating factor and a healthy respect for her opponents another. “We all have been rowing on water that moves, which makes it difficult to compare times,” Meiggs pointed out. “However, Western Washington was more than a minute faster at the Daffodil Cup last week, and despite strong headwinds, they dusted the competition. They may be unstoppable.”
NCRC Invitational Schedule (# boats entered)
2 Womens DII 8+ (4)
3 Womens DII 4+ (4)
7 Womens Novice 8+ (10)
8 Womens Varsity 4+ (6)
10 Womens 2nd Novice 8+ (4)
14 Womens JV 4+ (4)
15 Womens Novice 4+ (10)
18 Womens JV 8+ (7)
19 Womens Varsity 8+ (8)