Princeton University Athletics
Women's Lightweights Qualify Two, Including V8, To IRA Finals
June 04, 2010 | Women's Rowing - Lightweight
SEE ALL TIMES AND SATURDAY LANE ASSIGNMENTS
Once again, the Princeton women's lightweight crew will race for the national championship. By placing second in its semifinal heat, the Tiger varsity eight will look to get back on the medal stand for the first time since 2007.
Princeton, ranked third coming into the IRA national championship regatta, took on three other crews in the second semifinal heat on Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J. Second-ranked Stanford, which handed Princeton one of its two regular-season losses, started next to Princeton; Bucknell and MIT, two programs Princeton defeated during the season, started in the two outside lanes.
Stanford won the race comfortably in 6:35.87, but Princeton was far more concerned with a top-three finish during this semifinal heat. The Tigers held a comfortable edge over Bucknell throughout the race and clinched a championship spot in 6:42.28, while the Bison finished more than 16 seconds behind.
Princeton will compete for the national championship at 11:15 a.m. Saturday and will begin in lane 5. Bucknell and Georgetown will be in lanes 1 and 2, while Stanford will be in lane 3. Defending national champion Wisconsin will be next to Princeton in lane 4, while Radcliffe will be in lane 6.
The Princeton varsity four will compete in the petite final Saturday at 8:36 in a head-to-head duel with MIT. The Tigers needed a top-two finish in either its semifinal heat or the afternoon repechage, but in both cases placed third. In the semifinal, Wisconsin placed first and Loyola took second in 7:40.41, while Princeton finished third in 8:08.76.
That sent the Tigers to a repechage, which featured Stanford, Georgetown and MIT. The Cardinal won the race in 7:39.99, while Georgetown comfortably qualified for the grand final in 7:46.52. Princeton placed third in 8:05.30.