March 22, 2004

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

This Week: At this weekend's Windermere Crew Classic, Cal hosts three top 10 crews, including Pac-10 rival Stanford, as the Bears try to repeat their dominating performance from last year. Cal will use the Windermere to prepare for the 31st annual San Diego Crew Classic held on Mission Bay on April 3-4.

Cal at the Windermere Crew Classic: Cal takes on preseason No. 8 Michigan State in its first race of the Windermere Crew Classic at Redwood Shores. Last year, Cal swept the competition by winning all its races in convincing fashion over Michigan State, Ohio State and Virginia.

The Competition: The Cardinal are the defending Pac-10 champions, and with a No. 6 ranking, they are the highest ranked women's crew at this year's regatta. Virginia, No. 7, and Michigan State, No. 8, are also ranked in the top 10; Washington State is ranked No. 15. Although Cornell is unranked, and lost many of its varsity rowers, the Big Red return eight rowers who have varsity experience and a strong freshman class that consists of 12 rowers and three coxswains.

Complete Windermere Racing Schedule:

Saturday Morning
9:40 a.m.      V8-California vs. Michigan State
11:00 a.m.     2V8-California vs. Michigan State

Saturday Afternoon
3:30 p.m.      V8-California vs. Cornell
4:50 p.m.      2V8-California vs. Stanford

Sunday Morning
9:15 a.m.      L8-California vs. Stanford
9:20 a.m.      2V8-California Vs. Virginia
10:30 a.m.     V8-Califorinia vs. Virginia

British Columbia dual recap: The Bears swept their first dual race of the season by winning all three races against the University of British Columbia at Redwood Shores March 21. The varsity eight won its race by 20 seconds over UBC, and the most impressive win was by Cal's novice eight, which finished almost 30 seconds ahead of British Columbia. Cal also held two intersquad races between its varsity eight and second varsity eight boats and between its third varsity eight and novice eight boats. The Bears' varsity eight was victorious over the second varsity eight, and the third varsity eight beat the novice eight by a mere 1.5 seconds.