EUREKA, Calif. – The Lewis & Clark Pioneers closed out their Spring Break weekend in Eureka, California, facing off against crews from Cal Poly Humboldt, Chico State, Sacramento State, and St. Mary's on the Lumberjack's home course of Humboldt Bay.
THE BASICS
8:00 AM, Men's Varsity 8+ (SCRATCH)
8:20 AM, Women's Varsity 8+
8:20 AM, Women's Second Varsity 8+
10:20 AM, Men's Varsity 4+
10:50 AM, Women's Varsity 4+ A
10:50 AM, Women's Varsity 4+ B
HOW IT HAPPENED
Humboldt Bay is a tidal waterway, so crews raced with water current on the course as well as a tail wind for later races. Conditions were ideal with mild temperatures, sun, minimal wind, and flat water.
The first races of the day for Lewis & Clark were the WSquad varsity and second varsity 8+'s. They faced off against Division II school Humboldt and Division I school St. Mary's. Boats were seeded from the outside in, with the Pioneers' varsity in lane one next to St. Mary's top boat and the Pioneers' second varsity in lane six next to Humboldt's JV boat. The Pioneers finished in fifth and sixth place but executed internal race plans well and came off the water feeling happy with their performances. The Pioneers varsity came down the course in a time of 7:39.0, while the second varsity made it through the finish line in 8:02.0.
The varsity boat was helmed by Ella Radvany, with Sadie Meredith-Andrews in stroke, Zoe Mitchell in seven, Libby Barrese in six, Mariah Schafhausen in five, Emma Wind in four, Amber Hayes in three, Meredith Lybbert in two, and Charlie Bastunskiy in the bow. Morgan Anderson was in the coxswain seat for the second varsity, with Sunny Greenblum in stroke, Carmen Aaronson in seven, Ella Shanava in six, Charlotte Gregson in five, Masha Glazneva in four, Kaia Hirsch in three, Alany Padilla Camacho in two, and Grace MacDonald in the bow.
The men's varsity 4+ came down the course next for the Pioneers in a four boat race against Chico State, Humboldt, and Sacramento State. Sacramento secured the top spot with a four second lead over Humboldt. The Pioneers placed fourth behind Chico State after an equipment issue forced the boat to a full stop mid-race. Lewis & Clark crossed the line in a time of 6:36.0 to Chico's 6:27.3, putting in a massive sprint effort to close the gap but running out of river. Sophie Homolka was in the drivers' seat, with Lewis Grimes in stroke, Chaszar Waldron in three, Caleb Novotny in two, and Paul Kelly in the bow.
Lewis & Clark's final race of the day was the women's varsity fours event. The Pioneers contributed two entries to the six-boat field. St. Mary's took the top spot just one second ahead of Humboldt in an exciting race to the line. They were followed by the Lewis & Clark A boat who finished in third just .08 seconds ahead of Humboldt's B boat. A massive sprint in the final 200 meters pushed the Pioneers across the line ahead in 6:33.1 seconds. Lewis & Clark's B boat finished in fifth, making it across the line in a time of 6:57.6.
Radvany was in the coxswain seat for the A boat, with Barrese in four, Meredith-Andrews in three, Mitchell in two, and Bastunskiy in the bow. Max Baker was at the helm in the Pioneers' B boat, with Schafhausen in four, Wind in three, Hayes in two, and Shanava in the bow.
The Pioneers had to scratch their entry in the men's varsity 8+ after a member of the crew became ill. There were no alternates available to take the seat.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Times are relative on a tidal waterway, as crews were racing with water current and a tail wind on the course
- This was Waldron's first appearance in the men's varsity 4+ and Hayes' first appearance in the women's varsity 8+
WHATS NEXT
The Pioneers will split their squads between two regattas next weekend. The WSquad will compete in the Lewis & Clark-hosted Pioneer Invite on Vancouver Lake in Washington, while the men's team heads down to Dexter Lake in Eugene to compete at the Covered Bridge Regatta.
