Crew squads use intensity to find victory in marina

By Jessica Bach
Daily Bruin Contributor

There was something different in the air when the UCLA
women’s rowing team took to the water on Saturday at the Head
of the Marina Regatta at Marina del Rey. The girls raced just as
hard as ever, with the same intensity and enthusiasm, but something
was different.

It was their first race as an officially sanctioned squad since
1991.

Representing the Bruins at the varsity level didn’t faze
the girls because for them, it was the same as it had always been
as they captured the victory with a 20:53 wining time against
Loyola Marymount, which came in with 21:08 time in the 5K race.

“It is the same getting out there, rowing together,
focusing on what you’re doing and not too much on what else
is going on,” junior port/starboard Delia Lucas said.
“Most of the varsity team has been rowing together for at
least a year, so we all know how to focus together, and it’s
not too much of a change.”

Starting strong, the team had a good turn at the end of the
marina and held it the whole way through to the finish.

The team also featured a new head coach, Olympic rower Amy
Fuller, who was happy with the day’s results.

“I’m very pleased with the development of the
team,” she said. “The Varsity 8 did very well, and
we’re hoping for a lot more from the JV 8.”

The girls felt confident behind their new coach.

“Our coach is really great,” Lucas said. “She
is always good at pumping us up and getting us to focus, which is
really good.”

Along with the varsity, the Bruins’ novice and JV teams
raced as well.

The novice team had only started to practice in the water last
week, making this a big test.

“We did really well but it’s just a start,”
freshman Jessica Rogers said. “We’ll get better. The
program is going to be really strong, we work really hard and
it’s a good group of girls.”

The novice A boat finished first in their race at 24:05, and the
novice B boat placed second coming in at 24:47.

On Sunday the rowing team will participate in its last race
until the spring, giving them time to work on individual
strengths.

“Right now we are taking these couple of races and trying
to decide how we are going to train for the rest of the
season,” sophomore starboard Lynn Ercolani said.

The team has only the future ahead of it at the varsity level.
Early practices and long hours are going to keep the team working
hard for their spring season.

“It’s just the beginning,” Rogers said.