Team’s victory shows promise for season

By Jessica Bach
Daily Bruin Contributor

The UCLA women’s rowing team kicked off their 2002 season
Saturday with a win over Long Beach State. Both the varsity and
novice boats won easily over the 49ers as they competed in their
first official event in Long Beach.

Going on the road for their first meet, the Bruins proved to be
strong competitors, despite this being their first season as a
varsity team.

The Varsity 8 gained the early lead and held it to the finish
line with a winning time of 7 minutes, 21 seconds, with the 49ers
finishing behind them in 7:28.

“We are all really pleased with the win,” Bruin
sophomore starboard Irene Condella said. “It will really help
our confidence to have a win under our belt.”

While the Varsity boat captured the win, it was the novice team
who captured the attention. Sprinting to a 7:20 2000-meter time,
the novice “˜A’ boat powered through both the novice
“˜B’ and LBSU novice team who finished at 7:29 and 7:46
respectively.

Despite the victory, the Bruins used this weekend as a gauge for
the rest of the season.

“The race showed us what we need to improve upon,”
Condella said. “We need to get our stroke rates up, along
with getting a uniform rhythm.”

But overall there is a pleased feeling among the women.

“We’re off to a great start this season,” UCLA
head coach Amy Fuller said in a statement. “The girls had a
lot of internal expectations and they found a way to transfer their
hard work into boat speed. We still have a ways to go but I am
pleased with this victory.”

UCLA will not compete again until they go on the road March 23
for the Berg Cup in Newport.