SEATTLE, Wash. – After a busy week of spring break training, the Western Washington University women's rowing team returned to early-season action Saturday at the Husky Open on Montlake Cut.

 

The Vikings Varsity 8+ entry opened the regatta placing fourth covering the 2,000-meter course in 7:16.834, trailing Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams Cal Poly Humboldt (6:59.873) and Seattle Pacific (7:12.834), and first-place University of Portland (6:57.570).

 

In the Varsity 4+ race, WWU also placed fourth in 8:30.892, trailing Cal Poly Humboldt (8:12.502), SPU (8:18.555) and Portland (8:29.921).

 

The Vikings second Varsity 4+ wrapped up competition at the Husky Open placing third with a time of 8:37.854, with Cal Poly Humboldt (8:23.635) and Seattle Pacific (8:31.179) finishing ahead of Western.

 

Led by 25th-year head coach John Fuchs, the Vikings continue their five-regatta regular-season schedule next week at the Falcon Regatta leading up to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships that will be held May 13 on Dexter Lake in Lowell, Oregon. The full 2023 season schedule can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/RowViks.

 

Here a look at the official results from Saturday's Husky Open on Montlake Cut in Seattle:

 

 

Here are the crew lineups that raced for WWU in the three races at the Husky Open:

 

 

WWU returns to Seattle next week to compete in the Falcon Regatta hosted by Seattle Pacific University on Saturday, April 1 on the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The complete 2023 regatta schedule can be found online at wwuvikings.com/RowViks.

 

More information on the WWU Rowing program, including a details schedule, roster and quick facts can be found online at WWUVikings.com/RowViks and via social media on Twitter (@WWU_Rowing), Instagram (@wwuwomensrowing) and Facebook (@WWURowing).

 

Led by head coach John Fuchs (25th season), WWU Rowing is one of the elite collegiate rowing programs in the country, having won eight NCAA Division II National Championships. The Vikings won the 2017 NCAA II title, placed 2nd in 2018, 3rd in 2019 and runner-up again in 2022. WWU has competed in the NCAA Championships in 18 of the last 21 seasons, taking home the gold (8 times) or silver (5 times) medal 13 times in the 20 years the NCAA Division II team title has been awarded, and reached the podium all 18 times. Western won seven consecutive DII national championships from 2005-2011. The Vikings added the 2022 GNAC Rowing Championships team and V8+ titles to its trophy case this season, in addition to the WIRA V8+ Gold Medal.