May 29, 2004

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. - On the second day of racing, the California Golden Bears advanced all three boats into tomorrow's grand finals. The varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four all succeeded in advancing to the grand finals tomorrow morning. Racing is scheduled to begin at 9:45 a.m. with the Division 2 varsity four grand final. Division 1 racing begins at 10:30 a.m. with the varsity four petite final.

Cal's varsity eight had had its hands full with Brown and Princeton in the second heat of the semifinals. The three boats got out to a fast start, and after 1000 meters had already began to pull away from the rest of the field. Princeton took the lead after the 1000-meter mark, but was overtaken by Brown at 1500 meters. Over the last 500 meters it was a race for second between Cal and Princeton. The two boats battled stroke for stroke, and ended up finishing in a dead heat, with both advancing to the grand final tomorrow afternoon. The top three finishers advance to the grand final, while the remaining boats move on to the petite final.

In the second varsity eight repechage, the top two boats advance to the grand final, with the remaining boats advancing to the petite final. The Bears led its heat from the very beginning, finishing the race just over a second ahead of Michigan to advance to the grand final for the second year in a row.

The varsity four placed second in its heat, behind Washington, to advance to the grand final. Last year, the varsity four captured the silver medal, and is in good position to win a second straight NCAA medal.

NCAA Day 2 Results

Varsity Eight Semifinals
Heat 1
1. Yale                    6:36.60
2. Michigan                6:37.50
3. Ohio State              6:39.40
4. Virginia                6:40.10
5. USC                     6:51.30
6. Notre Dame              6:52.31

Heat 2
1. Brown                   6:33.00
2. California              6:36.40
3. Princeton               6:36.40
4. Washington              6:37.10
5. Harvard                 6:41.80
6. Tennessee               6:48.50

Second Varsity Eight Repechage
Heat 1
1. Washington State        6:48.40
2. Yale                    6:48.80
3. Virginia                6:49.30
4. Michigan State          6:58.90
5. Ohio State              7:00.90

Heat 2
1. California              6:52.00
2. Michigan                6:53.70
3. Princeton               6:56.90
4. Harvard                 7:00.20
5. Wisconsin               7:01.30

Varsity Four Repechage
Heat 1
1. Brown                   7:33.00
2. Yale                    7:34.00
3. Michigan State          7:36.20
4. Wisconsin               7:36.80
5. Washington St.          7:44.50

Heat 2
1. Washington              7:35.60
2. California              7:39.70
3. Michigan                7:43.30
4. Princeton               7:44.50
5. Harvard                 7:49.40