High winds cut short ECAC Rowing Championships
CAMDEN, N.J. — Due to high winds Sunday at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) National Invitational Rowing Championship at Cooper River in Camden County, N.J., most races were cancelled prior to the completion of the varsity eight races.
The regatta was to double as the NESCAC team championships, so instead the 2009 NESCAC Rowing Champions were determined by the New England Rowing Championship (NERC) results that occurred at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass., on May 2, with the Williams men’s & women’s rowing team earning the conference championship. The Bates women finished second in the conference, while the Bates men finish third behind Williams and Trinity.
Prior to Sunday’s cancellations, the Bates women’s varsity eight won its first heat on Saturday, covering the 2,000-meter course in 6:46.620 to place ahead of runner-up St. Lawrence (6:54.950), Mt. Holyoke, Mary Washington and Franklin & Marshall. The Bobcats then got in one of the final races of the day on Sunday, in the women’s varsity eights second semifinal, and placed second to Ithaca out of six boats. The Bobcats timed in at 6:48.336, edging out Smith (6:48.626) and Mt. Holyoke (6:49.091) for third place while Ithaca won the semifinal with a time of 6:44.950 — only the second time all season the Bates boat has finished second to anyone.
While the Bates men are finished with their excellent spring season having earned a No. 3 final ranking in New England, the women’s rowing team looks forward to making a third straight trip to the NCAA Division III Women’s Rowing Championships, also to be held at Camden, N.J., May 29-31.