George Washington University
Women's Eastern Sprints
Women's Rowing Closes Season at Eastern Sprints
5/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
May 16, 2005
CAMDEN, NJ - The 2004-05 Women's Rowing season came to an end as GW sent five women's crews to race on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ, Sunday at the 29th Annual Women's Eastern Sprints Championships. The Sprints brings together the top women's rowing programs in the East to compete in the oldest collegiate championship in women's rowing. The GW women combined to score 21 points to tie Dartmouth for 13th place out of 16 schools under good racing conditions helped by a slight tailwind.
The Colonials' Novice 4 defeated five other crews in the Petite Final but it was a rough day for the Colonials' Varsity 8. At the same event last year, the GW V8 advanced to the second level final for the first time in GW histlry and placed 12th of 17 entries in the Open Varsity 8 Final. Sunday, GW placed third in the third level final, 15th out of 16 entries overall.
"The highlight of the weekend was watching the First Novice make the grand final," GW head coach Helen Betancourt said. "This was the first time any GW boat has placed in the top six at the Eastern Sprints. The crew had been racing well all year and rose to the occasion yesterday. After having several strong races throught the season, the varsity struggled and did not make the top two finals Sunday. However, the team shows a lot of promise for the future, losing only three seniors and adding a strong freshman class next year."
"I am really proud of the way the novices raced," GW novice coach Sarah Dondero said. "They handled exam week very well and were able to find some boat speed to get into the grand final for the first time in GW history. They went into the race with a lot of desire and heart. I think they will make a real strong impact on the varsity team next year."
Betancourt, a '98 graduate of Brown University, rowed for the Bears in Sunday's Alumnae race which won the event.
Eastern Sprints Championships
Willing Points Trophy
1-Brown, 74
2-Princeton, 57
3-Radcliffe, 56
4-Yale, 48
5-Cornell, 45
6-Pennsylvania, 44
7-Boston U., 43
8-Northeastern, 41
9-Columbia, 35
10-Syracuse, 33
11-Navy, 24
12-Rutgers, 23
T13-George Washington, 21
T13-Dartmouth, 21
15-Georgetown, 8
16-M.I.T., 5
17-Boston College, 0
