VANCOUVER, Wash. – The No. 4 nationally-ranked Western Washington University rowing team got back into competition Saturday at the shortened Pioneer/Pilot Invitational on Vancouver Lake.

 

The first wave of racing featured WWU racing a Varsity 4+, Varsity 8+ and Second Varsity 8+, but the second half of the event was canceled due to rough conditions on the lake with heavy wind and rain.

 

The Vikings matched up against NCAA Division II rivals No. 2 Cal Poly Humboldt, No. 3 Seattle Pacific and No. 6 Embry-Riddle, while also racing against regatta co-host University of Portland and Seattle U.

 

WWU's Varsity Four once again highlighted the Vikings performance placing 2nd covering the 2,000-meter course in 8:41.30, just behind Embry-Riddle's winning time of 8:34.10. The Vikings finished ahead of West Region opponents Seattle Pacific and Cal Poly Humboldt in the race.

 

Western's Varsity 8+ finished 4th in the morning heat in a time of 8:11.70, trailing first-place Cal Poly Humboldt (7:50.10), Portland (7:51.20), SPU (8:01.20) and ahead of South Region power Embry-Riddle (8:16.00).

 

WWU's second Varsity 8+ lineup also had a strong showing placing 2nd in its heat in a time of 8:40.90 placing just behind Division I Portland (8:37.20) and in front of SPU (9:00.40), Seattle U (9:06.80) and Cal Poly Humboldt (9:26.30).

 

This marks the second event of the 2024 season for the Vikings, and unfortunately the second shortened regatta due to weather conditions. WWU returns to competition April 27-28 at the WIRA Championships on Lake Natoma in Gold River, California.

 

Here is a look at results from WWU's races at the Pioneer/Pilot Invitational on Vancouver Lake:

 

 

Here are the crew lineups that raced for WWU in Saturday's Regatta:

 

 

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