Michigan
Central Region Finals
Wolverines Row to Second Consecutive Lexus Cup
5/14/2000 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
Event: #8 Michigan at Central Regional Championships (Day 2)
U-M Results: First Varsity Eight -- 1st Place; Second Varsity Eight -- 1st Place;
First Varsity Four -- 3rd Place; Second Varsity Four -- 5th Place;
First Novice Eight -- 8th Place
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sun., May 26-28 -- at NCAA Championships (Camden, N.J.)
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. -- The University of Michigan rowing team won the First Varsity Eight and Second Varsity Eight races on its way to capturing the Lexus Cup for the second consecutive year at the Lexus Central Sprints on Sunday (May 14).
| ||||
The first varsity eight took a strong start in the final race of the day. By the 500-meter mark, the boat was four seats up on Michigan State and Ohio State. The crew took a full boat-length lead and then broke contact after 1,250 meters. The lead expanded to about three seats of open water before Michigan State closed the gap in the sprint. Including heats, the win was the boat's fifth consecutive victory in a race.
Michigan's other victory was by four seats of open water in the Second Varsity Eight race. The boat jumped out to a half-boat lead at the 500-meter mark after a solid start. The Wolverines expanded the lead to open water after 1,000 meters, and then held their lead through the end of the race.
In the final NCAA-scoring event, Michigan finished third in the First Varsity Four. The boat was in second by a seat after 500 meters, and then took the lead in the race between the 750- and 1,000-meter marks. However, a strong finish by Clemson and Kansas in the last 500 meters dropped the Wolverines to third.
Michigan's other two boats also raced in the finals. In the second varsity four, Michigan held fourth throughout the Grand Final, but fell to fifth after Michigan State made a strong push at the end of the race. The first novice eight boat was in the Petite Final of its event and finished behind SMU to finish eighth overall.
SUNDAY RESULTS
Final Team Standings
1. MICHIGAN 79 points 2. Michigan State 54 3. Ohio State 51 4. Clemson 34 5. Duke 28 6. Iowa 27 7. Louisville 26 8. Kansas 16 9. Texas 4 10. Notre Dame 3.5 11. Indiana 3 12. North Carolina 2 Tennessee 2 14. Miami (Fla.) 1.5
First Varsity Eight (Grand Final)
1. MICHIGAN 6:34.3 2. Michigan State 6:38.3 3. Ohio State 6:39.1 4. Iowa 6:45.3 5. Texas 6:50.6 6. North Carolina 6:57.5
Second Varsity Eight (Grand Final)
1. MICHIGAN 6:42.9 2. Ohio State 6:47.6 3. Michigan State 6:48.5 4. Clemson 6:49.4 5. Iowa 6:58.4 6. Miami (Fla.) 7:03.7
First Varsity Four (Grand Final)
1. Clemson 7:33.4 2. Kansas 7:33.7 3. MICHIGAN 7:38.1 4. Michigan State 7:40.2 5. Indiana 7:40.6 6. Ohio State 7:45.6
Second Varsity Four (Grand Final)
1. Ohio State 7:44.7 2. Iowa 7:45.8 3. Clemson 7:50.9 4. Michigan State 7:57.7 5. MICHIGAN 8:01.0 6. Notre Dame 8:01.4
First Novice Eight (Petite Final)
1. SMU 7:04.2 2. MICHIGAN 7:06.8 3. Michigan State 7:13.3 4. Tennessee 7:30.0
Saturday Results
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Mark Rothstein
On Michigan's chances of a bid to the NCAA Championships ... "We needed to do well here to secure a shot at nationals. We should get a team bid. Of course, it's not an automatic qualifier, so we'll have to wait until Tuesday (May 16). It seems likely that we will get a team bid. We knew that we needed to win the First Varsity Eight and the Second Varsity Eight to get that chance."
On the performance of the second varsity eight ... "I thought the second varsity eight did a good job of committing in the second 500 [meters]. They really put themselves way out in front at the 1,000-meter mark. They had open water at that point. That was one of their goals. Then they did a nice job of getting out and then holding on."
On the performance of the first varsity eight ... "It was a similar situation with the first varsity eight. We got out to a nice lead, a little bigger than we expected. After making a little move at the 1,000-meter mark, we really opened up the race. I think we were in control of both [the first and second varsity eight] races, and that was nice to see."
On the team's situation going into the NCAA Championships ... "I think our ranking won't change. I think we'll still be eighth. I feel like we've gained some speed, but I'm sure that other crews have as well. We're looking forward to having a chance to prove ourselves in New Jersey. We feel like we have some speed and hopefully that will show through."
On the team's confidence level ... "I think confidence is high, but we also understand there are some crews that beat us pretty badly a month and a half ago (at the San Diego Crew Classic). Those crews are going to be there (at the NCAA Championships), and there are some fast crews out east. The rowers are mature enough now to understand that they have to bring their best race to get a chance to make it to the finals; and, if we do get in the finals, anything can happen."
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
