WWU wins rowing crown

The Lewis & Clark College men and Western Washington University women claimed team titles Saturday at the 10th annual Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Championship Regatta held on Vancouver Lake.

The Pioneer men garnered 68 points, finishing four points ahead of Puget Sound and WWU. UPS was awarded second place based on higher finish in the varsity eight race.

With wins in six of eight races entered, the Vikings claimed the women’s title for the sixth consecutive year. The Western Washington women, ranked No. 1 nationally in the latest Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association / NCAA Division II Poll, finished with 106 points to 72 for runner-up Puget Sound in the seven-team field.

Western won the featured varsity eight race by almost two boat lengths, as well as being victorious in the varsity four, second varsity eight, second varsity four, third varsity eight, and novice four competition. The Vikings placed third in the pair without cox race and fourth in the novice eight.

Columbia River High School graduate Jean Piette competed in the varsity eight and varsity four for the Vikings.

“Every person on the team got a gold medal as everyone was in at least one winning boat,” Western coach John Fuchs said. “We got the team trophy again, which is quite an accomplishment as it always is … I was really happy with how everyone stepped up today.”

It was the third victory in as many races this season for Western’s varsity eight and its 15th in a row overall. The Vikings’ top shell, which won all 10 of its races last year, has not lost to a non-Division I school since placing third at the 2006 NCRC Championships.

“The varsity eight rowed a really great race,” Fuchs said. “There was a little bit of a side chop during that race but for the most part the weather was good all day.”