Women's Crew Places Second in Elite Eights, Finishes Racing at Henley Women's Regatta 2015
6/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Crew
Results (Brown Brackets) | Photos
HENLEY-ON-THAMES, England – Brown University women's crew placed second in the elite eights event and demonstrated its adaptability with an assortment of changed lineups from its NCAA season on the third and final day of the Henley Women's Regatta 2015 on Sunday on The River Thames.
The Bears' top entry in the elite eights won its semifinal race over Leander by 1.67 lengths with a time of 4:47 to earn a berth in the final race. In windy conditions, the Bears posted the second-fastest time of the morning, just one second behind Oxford University.
In the final of The Ron Needs Challenge Cup, the closing race of the regatta, Brown fell by 1.5 lengths to Oxford, which clocked in with a time of 4:50. The Bears raced well and will next compete in a qualifying race on June 26 to advance to the Royal Henley Regatta from July 1-5. In the qualifier, 13 crews will race for four spots in the HRR quarterfinals on July 3.
Brown's elite coxless four enjoyed a strong week of training and won its semifinal race in a time of 5:24 as Leander was scratched. In the final of the Avril Vellacott Cup, the Bears fell to a composite boat of Great Britain rowers – CUW/NEW/BAU, many of whom will compete for Great Britain's U23 team – by a verdict of "Easily" as the winners came in at 5:04.
Under difficult weather conditions and without a coxswain, the Bears' boat ran into one of the booms – the logs that separate the river from the racecourse – at the start. Brown recovered well after the setback but could not catch its opponent.
The senior coxed four – which won races in the first round and quarterfinals on Saturday – dropped a decision of 3 lengths in the semifinals to Thames RC, which recorded a time of 5:29 and moved on to win the final of the event. Despite the outcome of the semifinal race, the Bears improved upon their performance in each round.
In its first race of the regatta, Brown's elite quad scull entry came up just short as Stanford won the semifinal match-up by 0.5 lengths behind a time of 5:15. The crew made a quick transition from sweep rowing to sculling and will look to continue to improve upon their speed at the Henley Royal Regatta.
Next, Brown will continue racing in England this summer as the Bears will enter one boat each in the Women's Eight (Remenham Challenge Cup) and Women's Quad Scull (Princess Grace Challenge Cup) events at the Henley Royal Regatta 2015. The Bears' eight will first compete in a qualifying race on June 26 at 7:12 p.m. local time. Both events in which Brown will compete will hold quarterfinal races on July 3, semifinal races on July 4, and final races on July 5.
Brown Schedule/Results at HWR 2015 (All Times Local)
Friday, June 19 (0-0)
10:15 a.m. – Senior Coxed Fours – Time Trial – No. 77 Brown A – Advanced
10:15 a.m. – Senior Coxed Fours – Time Trial – No. 92 Brown B – Advanced
Saturday, June 20 (3-2)
11:36 a.m. – Senior Coxed Fours – Race 125 (FR) – No. 90 Exeter Univ. def. No. 92 Brown B by 2.5 Lengths (Time: 5:29)
12:12 p.m. – Senior Coxed Fours – Race 134 (FR) – No. 77 Brown A def. No. 79 Lea/Vesta by 1.25 Lengths (Time: 5:28)
1:20 p.m. – Elite Eights – Race 151 (QF) – No. 3 Stanford def. No. 6 Brown B by 1.75 Lengths (Time: 4:48)
1:28 p.m. – Elite Eights – Race 153 (QF) – No. 4 Brown A def. No. 7 Sports Imperial by 2 Lengths (Time: 4:42)
4:56 p.m. – Senior Coxed Fours (QF) – Race 205 – No. 77 Brown A def. No. 86 Tulsa A by 3.25 Lengths (Time: 5:32)
Sunday, June 21 (2-4)
9:56 a.m. – Elite Coxless Fours (SF) – Race 315 – No. 75 Brown def. No. 76 Leander, Ruled Out/Scratch (Time: 5:24)
10:44 a.m. – Senior Coxed Fours (SF) – Race 327 – No. 82 Thames RC def. No. 77 Brown A by 3 Lengths (Time: 5:29)
11:48 a.m. – Elite Eights (SF) – Race 343 – No. 4 Brown A def. No. 2 Leander by 1.67 Lengths (Time: 4:47)
11:52 a.m. – Elite Quad Sculls (SF) – Race 344 – No. 213 Stanford def. No. 211 Brown by 0.5 Lengths (Time: 5:15)
1:50 p.m. – Elite Coxless Fours – Race 364 (F) – No. 73 CUW/NEW/BAU def. No. 75 Brown "Easily" (Time: 5:04)
4:40 p.m. – Elite Eights – Race 391 (F) – No. 1 Oxford Univ. def. No. 4 Brown A by 1.5 Lengths (Time: 4:50)
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