Rowing: WVU Finishes Fourth at Head of the Charles
October 19, 2003 08:27 PM | General
October 19, 2003
BOSTON, Mass. - The West Virginia University women's rowing team placed fourth in the Collegiate 8 competition at Sunday's prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Mass.
The women, Michelle Heier, Donna Stullken, Meg Ayers, Kendra Hamilton, Amelia Payne, Kirsten Leslie, Gaetane De La Bourdonnaye, Caitlin Everett and Jess Martini, finished the course on the demanding Charles river in 17:09.490.
The time gave them a 1.077 faster time than Lehigh (17:10.413), last year's winner who finished the competition Sunday in fifth place. Finishing ahead of the Mountaineers were the U.S. Coast Guard (17:05.304), Louisville (17:01.362) and Queen's University from Canada (16:47.321).
Despite finishing second in last year's competition this year's squad, comprised of all eight girls from last year's boat, finished with a considerably better time, improving from 17:28.48.
The 38-year-old event put on by the Cambridge Boat Club annually draws nearly 300,000 spectators and 7,000 athletes to the banks of the Charles River.
The women now look to improve on last year's third place finish in the Head of the Schuykill in Philadelphia, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 25.
