Bates impresses at shortened ECAC Rowing Championships
WHITNEY POINT, N.Y. — The ECAC Rowing Championships were cut short Sunday due to high winds at Dorchester Park in Whitney Park, N.Y., prior to the completion of the varsity eight races.
The Bates women’s varsity eight, rated No. 5 in Division III in the most recent College Rowing Coaches Association/USRowing polls, was on its way to an outstanding regatta. The Bobcats won their preliminary heat on Saturday, covering the 2,000-meter course in 6:49.142, ahead of runner-up Mary Washington (6:49.637), William Smith, Smith and WPI. Bates’ time was the third fastest out of all four preliminary heats. In Sunday’s early action, Bates rowed to third place in the Varsity Eight Semifinal 1, behind Williams and William Smith but ahead of Ithaca, Coast Guard and Vassar. Bates’ time was the fourth fastest out of all the Varsity Eight Semifinals, putting the Bobcats into the Varsity Eight Grand Final.
The Bates men’s varsity eight placed fourth in the Men’s Varsity Eight Heat 1 on Saturday at 6:02.243, well ahead of fifth-place UNC (6:22.552) and Hamilton (6:44.577) and close behind Williams (6:01.683) for third. Then in Sunday’s early action, the Bobcats rowed to second place in the Men’s Varsity Eight Semifinal 3 at 6:10.611, ahead of Texas, Tulane, St. Lawrence and Hamilton and behind only Notre Dame (6:09.161).
While the NESCAC Championships were to double with the ECAC results, last weekend’s grand finals at the New England Rowing Championships in Worcester, Mass., will now stand as NESCAC Championship results as well. There, the Bates women’s varsity eight were fourth overall in the grand final, and third in the NESCAC behind Williams and Trinity, and over 10 seconds ahead of fourth-place Colby.
Meanwhile, the Bates men’s varsity eight placed sixth in the grand final at the NERCs and took fourth place in the NESCAC behind Trinity, Wesleyan and Williams, and ahead of Colby and Tufts.