54 // VARSITY April 10, 2014
INSIDE
WOMEN'S ROWING
A season on the fly
Big Ten Double Dual moved to Ann Arbor
BY PAUL CAPOBIANCO @BADGERROWING
I
f this season for the Wis-
consin rowing team's seems
like one big obstacle, it
hasn't been, but it can certain-
ly feel that way.
The Badger women's teams
began spring break on March
15 with the promise of a week
of great on-water training and
racing in Tennessee, but an
illness that hit the team put a
dent into those plans a bit.
When the women's open-
weight and lightweight teams
returned to Madison with a
week until the Pac-12 Chal-
lenge and some stiff competi-
tion in California, the illness
resurfaced, so the team can-
celled its trip west.
The openweights adjusted
and quickly scheduled a trip to
the San Diego Crew Classic for
this past weekend, an event
the program has now been to
25 times over the years. UW's
varsity eight and second varsi-
ty eight made the grand finals,
then finished fifth and sixth,
respectively.
"I think both boats learned
a lot," head coach Bebe Bryans
said. "Neither boat was really
satisfied with their racing, but
there were some improve-
ments made, and that bodes
well for the future."
This week, the Badgers were
set to row in the Big Ten Dou-
ble Dual in East Lansing, Mich.,
against Michigan and Michi-
gan State, but the race has now
been moved, because the wa-
ter in East Lansing isn't quite
in the liquid form it needs to
be in order to row.
Intead, the racing will take
place on Belleville Lake in
Ann Arbor, Mich. Not a huge
change, but still a quick adjust-
ment.
All this while the team longingly looks
out the windows of Porter Boathouse
waiting for Lake Mendota to shed its icy
skin. This week, with highs in the 60s,
has the teams hoping for ice out by the
end of the week, something that appears
likely, given they strip of water just off
the south shore of Lake Mendota in front
of the boathouse.
KNECHT CUP
● The Badger lightweights will get on
the water for a race for the first time
in nearly a month with this weekend's
Knecht Cup. Raced on the Cooper Riv-
er in Camden, N.J., in past seasons, this
year's event will run in West Windsor,
N.J., site of this year's 2014 Intercol-
legiate Rowing Association National
Championships.
SCHEDULE
COMING UP: OPENWEIGHT
Saturday Big Ten Double Dual
April 19 Clemson Invite
COMING UP: LIGHTWEIGHT
Sat.-Sun. Knecht Cup
April 19 Boston Round Robin