By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The Western Washington University rowing team got off to a fast – really fast – start with a dominating team performance during the first day of the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Championships (WIRA) on Lake Natoma.
WWU advanced all three of its crews (V8+, 2V8+, V4+) to the Grand Finals that will be held Sunday. The Vikings rowed in near perfect conditions Saturday on Lake Natoma, also the site of the 2024 GNAC Championships.
Western's reconfigured Varsity 8+ highlighted Saturday's racing winning the first heat with the fastest time of any of the 11 entries clocking 6:48.029. WWU entered the meet with the eight-oared boat ranked No. 4 in the West Region, but gave a sterling performance to set up for a great Sunday showdown with GNAC rivals Cal Poly Humboldt (6:56.188) and Seattle Pacific (6:57.66).
The Varsity 4+ won its heat in a time of 7:51.892 to advance directly to Sunday's Grand Final with the fourth-fastest time of 12 entries spread across two heats.
The second Varsity 8+ finished 2nd in the first heat of its race in a time of 7:20.995, which was second-best of the eight crews in the race.
The Vikings Sunday schedule features the Varsity 8+ at 8:30 am, the second Varsity 8+ at 9:20 am and the Varsity 4+ at 11 am.
The WIRA Championships feature a live YouTube webcast via The Rowing Channel and live results at wwuvikings.com/ROW_Live.
Gallery: (4-27-2024) ROW | WIRA Championships
HOW TO FOLLOW THE WIRA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Here are links on how to follow the Vikings at the WIRA Championships:
WWU RACING SCHEDULE AT WIRA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Here is a listing of times the Vikings are scheduled to compete on Sunday at the 2024 WIRA Championships. WWU advanced its three crews to the Grand Final in the V8+, 2V8+ and the V4+:
Sunday Finals:
- 8:30 am – Varsity 8+ (Grand Final)
- 9:20 am – 2nd Varsity 8+ (Grand Final)
- 11:00 am – Varsity 4+ (Grand Final)
WIRA CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
Here is a look at results from WWU's races from Saturday's heats at the WIRA Championships.
|
Event
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
|
V8+
(Heat 1)
|
Western Washington
(6:48.029)
|
Cal Poly Humboldt
(6:56.188)
|
Orange Coast College
(7:03.796)
|
UC Santa Barbara
(7:11.068)
|
UC Davis
(7:34.359)
|
---
|
|
V8+
(Heat 2)
|
Seattle Pacific
(6:57.66)
|
UC Irvine
(7:03.553)
|
Puget Sound
(7:08.955)
|
Lewis & Clark
(7:14.909)
|
Arizona State
(7:29.474)
|
PLU
(7:46.621)
|
|
2V8+
(Heat 1)
|
UC Irvine
(7:18.231)
|
Western Washington
(7:20.995)
|
Lewis & Clark
(7:36.082)
|
PLU
(8:44.625)
|
---
|
---
|
|
2V8+
(Heat 2)
|
Seattle Pacific
(7:24.289)
|
Cal Poly Humboldt
(7:30.61)
|
UC Santa Barbara
(7:39.929)
|
Puget Sound
(8:04.891)
|
---
|
---
|
|
V4+
(Heat 1)
|
Western Washington
(7:51.892)
|
UPS
(7:59.097)
|
Washington State
(8:04.275)
|
Cal Lightweights
(8:21.295)
|
Pacific-A
(8:23.507)
|
Pacific-B
(9:04.674)
|
|
V4+
(Heat 2)
|
Seattle Pacific
(7:41.539)
|
UC Santa Barbara
(7:44.332)
|
Cal Poly Humboldt
(7:49.304)
|
UC Davis
(8:49.896)
|
UC Irvine
(9:01.958)
|
Arizona State
(9:06.939)
|
Here is a look at the projected lineups for the Vikings in the WIRA Championships:
The first edition of the NCAA Division II Regional Rowing rankings was released this week with WWU listed No. 3. The Vikings Varsity 4+ is ranked No. 1 and the Varsity 8+ is No. 4. Here is a look at the rankings via NCAA.com:
|
Rk
|
Eight
|
Rk
|
Four
|
Rk
|
Team Ranking
|
|
1.
|
Central Oklahoma
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
1.
|
Central Oklahoma
|
|
2.
|
Cal Poly Humboldt
|
2.
|
Central Oklahoma
|
2.
|
Cal Poly Humboldt
|
|
3.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
3.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
3.
|
Western Washington
|
|
4.
|
Western Washington
|
4.
|
Cal Poly Humboldt
|
4.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
Led by head coach John Fuchs (26th 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 19 of the 21 NCAA Division II national regattas, taking home the gold (8 times) or silver (5 times) medal 13 times in the 21 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.
WWU Rowing Inside the Numbers:
19 – NCAA II Rowing Championship Appearances (out of 21)
15 – Individual Championships (Eight-6, Fours-9)
8 – National Championships (2005-11, 2017)
5 – National Runner-Up Finishes
