The Kansas State women’s rowing team will compete in its last competition before the Big 12 Championship when it travels to Kansas City, Kansas, Saturday.
The last competition for the Wildcats was at the SIRA Championship in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, last weekend. The Wildcats had all five of their boats in the finals. Of the five events, the team won medals in four.
“It was a great weekend,” head coach Patrick Sweeney said to K-State Sports. “We came away with some medals, which is always a good thing for the team. We were also able to get six great sessions on the water, so the whole team was able to gain technique and a better feel for the boats. I am glad they were able to experience that this weekend.”
K-State started the day in the time trials where the 2v8+ boat finished with the fastest time in the women’s JV8+ and lightweight varsity 8+. The Wildcats finished the race with a time of 6:14.060. The 3v8+ boat ended with a time of 6:23.921, which was good enough for fourth place. Both boats qualified for the semifinal that afternoon.
In the semifinal round, both boats medaled, placing first and second. The 2v8+ boat won the event with a time of 6:57.073 while the 3v8+ was close behind with a time of 7:10.293.
In the finals, K-State raced against Wisconsin to win the event with its 2v8+ boat and claim silver with the 3v8+ boat. The 2v8+ boat finished the race in under seven minutes with a time of 6:57.975. A time of 7:10.256 was fast enough for the 3v8+ boat to pull past Wisconsin.
In the women’s varsity 4+ finals, the 1v4+ boat finished behind Wisconsin with a time of 7:36.753. The 1v4+ crew claimed top-three performances in each of its races.
After finishing first in the semifinal race on Saturday, the 1v8+ fell into third place during the event finals to earn bronze with a time of 6:50.508.
“It was good for the team to get out and see the venue and get a feel on the water,” Sweeney said to K-State Sports. “The team should feel a lot more comfortable with their surroundings here in a few weeks.”
After the Dillons Sunflower Showdown, the Wildcats will race in the Big 12 Championship in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on Milton Lake on May 12-13.
The first race between the Wildcats and the Jayhawks in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown is set for 11 a.m. on Saturday.
