Thursday, March 28, 2024

AdvertiseDonateSubmit
NewsSportsArtsOpinionThe QuadPhotoVideoIllustrationsCartoonsGraphicsThe StackPRIMEEnterpriseInteractivesPodcastsBruinwalkClassifieds

UCLA rowing ready for competition at San Diego Crew Classic

By Monica Gayed

April 4, 2014 1:19 a.m.

With the recent earthquakes shaking up the water and forming a new topic of discussion, the UCLA women’s rowing team is ready to stir up the waters in a different way. The Bruins are getting ready to enter a higher level of competitive races as they face some of the top teams in the United States at the San Diego Crew Classic this Saturday and Sunday.

During the first day of the meet, UCLA will be competing for the preliminary seats to distinguish between the petite and grand finals on Sunday. Then, the results are determined on Sunday.

“For us, we look at it as an opportunity to have two hard races because for the NCAA championships we are racing multiple days in a row, and we have to be able to put out the best effort for that,” said coach Amy Fuller Kearney.

Looking at the two-day meet as an opportunity to race against teams that are currently ranked ahead of them, the Bruins are looking forward to show improved times in all of their boat speeds.

“We have been working on tightening up our technique,” said sophomore coxswain Logan Warwick. “I plan to keep my boat calm and collected during our race. We strive for perfect timing and settle for nothing less.”

Since the win three weeks ago against Loyola Marymount, the women have spent countless hours working together in their respective boats at race pace. They have made vast changes including numerous improvements over spring break training as senior stroke Erin Wenzel said.

“This sport, when you think about these people, what you visualize is teamwork posters,” Fuller Kearney said. “The reason for that is the goal is for the whole to be always greater than the sum of your parts. So individually we are good but the goal is to be great as a team.”

They have been working specifically on blade work. This means that the eight athletes on each boat have been focusing on entering their blades in the water within millimeters of each other, while maintaining the same blade height off the water. In turn, their speed increases because it allows for quick entry into the water.

“There are always small technical things that everyone can improve on in the rowing stroke, but during the race, there’s no thinking like an individual,” Wenzel said. “I would like to have two great races this weekend that show how fit and feisty the team is.”

Share this story:FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Monica Gayed
COMMENTS
Featured Classifieds
More classifieds »
Related Posts