May 1, 2009

CREW: Lutes Finish Season at WIRA Championships

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran competes at the WIRA Championships at Lake Natoma near Sacramento, Calif., Saturday and Sunday.

DOWN TO THE WIRA: The 2008-09 PLU crew season is now down to the WIRA - the WIRA Championships, that is. Pacific Lutheran will race in five women's races - varsity four, varsity lightweight four, varsity pair, varsity eight and junior varsity eight - and three men's races - lightweight four, varsity pair and varsity eight. The WIRA Championships starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and the women's varsity four starts it for the Lutes with an 8:20 a.m. heat. Prelims are scheduled throughout the day on Saturday and finals and petite finals get underway late Saturday and continue through Sunday.

LAST WEEK: Puget Sound maintained its recent dominance of Pacific Lutheran in the annual Meyer Lamberth Cup, sweeping all five races last Saturday on American Lake. The day started with the women's junior varsity eight and the Loggers rowed to victory in 8:19.6 compared to PLU's 8:38.7. In the Mini Mayer Cup featured the men's novice eights, it was UPS across the line in a time of 7:52.3, while PLU clocked an 8:18.6. The next race, the Mini Lamberth featuring the women's novice eights, was the closest of the day as the Loggers rowed an 8:21.1 to the Lutes' 8:28.3. The UPS B team finished third in 8:40.6 and the PLU B was fourth in 8:56.3. That got the schedule to the featured races, the Lamberth Cup between the women's varsity eights and the Meyer Cup between the men's varsity eights, and neither race was close. Puget Sound captured the Lamberth with a time of 7:33.7 to PLU's 8:12.5, and it easily rowed away to win the Meyer, 6:48.3 to 7:46.2.

- PLU -