April 11, 2008

SAN DIEGO -

Complete Release in PDF Format

Aztec Rowers To Compete at San Diego City Championships
* After wrapping up a successful weekend at the 35th San Diego Crew Classic, the San Diego State rowing team returns to action this weekend to compete in the San Diego City Championships on Saturday, April 12, at Sea World Channel on Mission Bay. Local bragging rights are on the line as the Aztecs square off against crews from the University of San Diego and UC San Diego, beginning at 6:45 a.m. in the varsity eight race. The scarlet and black will also have entries in the second varsity eight (7:45 a.m.), novice eight (7:30 a.m.), second novice eight (8:00 a.m.), novice four (8:15 a.m.) and varsity four (8:45 a.m.) categories. An awards ceremony will cap off the day's activities at 9:45 a.m. at El Carmel.

Flashback: 2007 San Diego City Championships
* The San Diego State rowing team dominated the first day of the San Diego City Championships, sweeping cross-town rivals UCSD in USD in a trio of races at Tecolote Channel on Mission Bay.

SDSU's most impressive victory of the day came in the novice eight race, when the "A" boat quickly moved away from the pack and maintained a lead to finish with a time of 7 minutes, 51.5 seconds, 21.1 seconds ahead of second-place UCSD.

The Aztecs fought valiantly in the other two races of the day, utilizing a strong sprint in the last 300 meters of the varsity eight race to finish 2.6 seconds ahead of UCSD with a time of 7:22.1.

In the back-and-forth junior varsity eight race, SDSU pulled away from USD and finished with a time of 8:26.3, 13.4 seconds better than the Toreros.

The San Diego State rowers wrapped up its competition at the San Diego City Championships the next morning with a first-place finish by the novice four boat at East Bay along Fiesta Island. The victory came a day after the Aztecs won all three eight-boat races.

SDSU's novice four boat ended up dominating from start to finish of the 2,000-meter course, winning in an impressive time of 7 minutes, 53.9 seconds, well ahead of second-place UC San Diego (9:15.4).

The Aztec varsity four boat, which had several changes in the lineup prior to the race, finished second of four with a time of 7:36.7. San Diego's "A" boat won the race in 7:17.6.

Last Race with the Aztecs
* San Diego State's novice eight boat earned a runner-up finish in the grand final to lead the Aztec crew team on the final day of the San Diego Crew Classic Sunday on Crown Point Shores at Mission Bay. The novice eights capped a solid week for SDSU, which finished with one win and two other trips to the grand final in their respective races.

San Diego State's novice eight boat took second with a time of 7 minutes, 5.68 seconds, less than two seconds behind first-place Washington State (7:03.90). Washington, who defeated the Aztecs in a preliminary heat on Saturday, was third (7:09.60), followed by UC Davis (7:18.72), USC (7:26.06) and Occidental CC (7:31.05).

In the varsity eight race, SDSU took fifth of six in the competitive grand final with a 6:59.30 clocking in a race won by UC Davis at 6:48.30. San Diego State finished ahead of Kansas State (7:02.15).

The second varsity eight boat rounded out the day the Aztecs with a sixth-place showing in a time of 6:55.14, just second behind fifth-place St. Joseph's (6:53.82).

On the first day of competition, San Diego State's second novice eight boat easily won their three-boat race with a time of 7:27.20. San Diego and UC San Diego followed in 7:47.33 and 8:08.86, respectively.