Gonzaga Rowers Host Head Of The Spokane
10/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Crew
Oct. 19, 2006
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SPOKANE, Wash. - Gonzaga University's men's and women's rowing teams will get their first outside competition of the season Saturday when the Bulldogs host Washington State University for the Head of the Spokane.
Racing at the Gonzaga Boathouse near Upriver Dam begins at 9:30 a.m.
It's also Parents' Weekend, with Class Day Races at the Boathouse scheduled to start Sunday at 10 a.m.
Director of Rowing and men's head coach Dan Gehn and women's head coach Glenn Putyrae are looking forward to not only the weekend, but the season.
"We're looking at integrating our sophomores into the varsity boat after a great season last year," Gehn said of his short-term goal this fall. "We're looking to build some consistency."
Putyrae has a similar outlook for the weekend.
"It's time to put into a race situation what we've been practicing to figure out what works," Putyrae said. "Plus, the Cougars are tough and it's always a challenge."
Both teams are coming off some outstanding success in 2006. Gonzaga's men's Freshman 8+ finished fourth in the Third Final, placing the Bulldogs 16th overall in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National Championship. The Bulldogs Varsity 4+ took fourth in the IRA, the highest finish ever for a Bulldog boat.
Gonzaga's women's Novice 8+ claimed the Pacific-10 Conference and Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) titles. The Bulldogs also placed their Varsity 8+ and JV 8+ boats into the WIRA Grand Final, both boats claiming third. All three boats captured WIRA titles in 2005.
Gehn and Putyrae are both excited about the competition for seats within their respective teams.
"We have close to three full varsity eight boats," Gehn said. "It's been great competition and the seats are wide open. We've mixed some boats, we've had some heat races and there have been a few surprises."
The Bulldog women also have some battles brewing.
"We have three varsity eight boats and the competition is outstanding," Putyrae said. "We'll race a couple of different combinations this weekend."
Both programs will also look to returning seniors for leadership.
"We have senior co-captains Matt Wernette and David Hinshaw returning, as well as senior Derek Clemmensen," Gehn said. "They will set the tone for the rest of the team."
Hinshaw and Wernette were juniors in the Varsity 4+ last season from a boat that lost just one senior in stroke Connor Barry.
Seniors Nicole Aadland-Lewis and Jessica Kocarnik were members of the Bulldogs Varsity 8+ as juniors a year ago.
"We have some experience, but we also have our freshmen from a year ago that will compete for spots in the top varsity boat," Putyrae said.
As is the case with races at Upriver Dam, racing is done in flights with boats sent off the start line at intervals. Placing is determined by time after all the boats in a class have crossed the finish line. But in a change from past years, boats will be sent down the river at shorter intervals, and there will be less time between flights. The first flight begins at 9:30 a.m. with the last flight to begin down the river at 11:30 a.m.
HEAD OF THE SPOKANE SCHEDULE
9:30 a.m.1 GU MV8 2 WSU MV8 3 GU MJV8 4 WSU MJV8 5 GU MN8 "A" 6 WSU MN8 "A" 7 GU MN8 "B" 8 WSU MN8 "B" 9 Montana MV4+
No. Boat
10 a.m.
No. Boat 10 GU WV8 11 WSU WV8 12 GU W2V8 13 WSU W2V8 14 GU W3V8 15 GU W3N8 16 WSU 2N8 17 GU WB4 18 WSU WC4 19 GU WC4 20 SRRA WM8 21 Cd'A WM8 22 Cd'A MM4 23 NIC W2x
10:45 a.m.
No. Boat 24 GU M3V8 25 GU MN8 "C" 26 WSU MN8 "C" 27 GU MV4 "A" 28 GU MV4 "B" 29 GU MV4 "C" 30 Tasca 1x 31 Russell 1x 32 Drake 1x
11:30 a.m.
No. Boat 33 GU WV8 34 WSU W3V8 35 GU W2V8 36 GU WN8 37 WSU WN8 38 GU 2N8 39 Montana WN8 40 WSU W4 "A" 41 GU W4 "A" 42 WSU W4 "B" 43 GU Alum 2- 44 Cd'A MM2x 45 Cd'A MW2x 46 NIC NLW2x
