College rowing: Pirates set pace
The Orange Coast College varsity eight defeated its closest
competitor by three seconds Sunday to highlight a strong showing by the
Pirates at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing AssociationChampionships on
Lake Natoma near Sacramento.
In addition to the varsity boat, which is unbeaten this season with
five significant regatta titles to its credit, OCC’s two novice eights
won their respective finals. The Pirates’ junior varsity eight finished
third in its division.
Additionally, Coach Dave Grant, who will retire after this season, his
38th at the Pirates’ helm, was named Coach of the Year in a vote of
coaches in attendance.
OCC’s varsity eight of Mike Kreuger, Alan Twigg, Jesse Waldowski,
Brian Scheele, Gints Salaks, Matt Heitbrink, Chris Pope, Stuart Blair and
coxswain Sierra Coldwell, completed the 2,000-meter course in 6:01. UC
Davis (6:04), Gonzaga (6:05), Puget Sound (6:12) and UC San Diego (6:13)
rounded out the top five.
“They were very much in control,” Grant said of the varsity eight
victors. “This has really been an extraordinary boat all year. Without a
doubt, it’s the fastest boat we’ve ever had. This was a big one, because
it proved winning the San Diego Crew Classic wasn’t a fluke.”
OCC’s top novice eight finished in 6:08, three seconds better than
runner-up UC San Diego.
The Pirates visit Princeton, N.J. next weekend to compete in the
United States small colleges championships. Grant said his rowers also
made the decision Sunday to accept an invitation to the Henley Royal
Regatta, scheduled July 3-7 on the Thames River in England.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.