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.