University of Washington
Pac-12 Championships
Huskies Win Sixth Straight Pac-12 Title
May 17, 2015 | Men's Rowing
LAKE NATOMA, Calif. – Washington men's rowing won its sixth consecutive Pac-12 Championship and 31st overall, sweeping all five of the men's races at the conference championships on Sunday, May 17, on Lake Natoma, Calif.
“I'm really proud of my guys and the performance they came up with today,” UW head coach Michael Callahan said. “The entire team has worked hard throughout this season, getting better and stronger every day, to get to this point. We won all of our races, we have options, we have data.”
In the last of the day's races, the varsity eight avenged a loss to rival Cal earlier this season. The Bears got out to a slim lead, and held a four-seat advantage for much of the first half of the race. The Huskies made their move following the 1000-meter mark, pulling even with Cal and then powering through the Bears to take a length lead heading into the home stretch. UW finished with an open-water margin of victory with a time of 5:44.6 to Cal's 5:48.65 for their sixth straight conference title.
“Our varsity eight showed some real guts today with that win,” Callahan said. “We stuck with our race plan even when we were down early. We didn't panic, we just trusted our training and the work we've put in. This puts us in a great position with a lot of confidence heading into the (Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships).”
The Huskies scored the maximum 72 points with five first-place finishes to win the Pac-12 Team Championship.
The second varsity eight won its race with a time of 5:54.07, beating Cal for the second time this season. The Huskies jumped out to a big lead in the first 100 meters and led by four seats at the 500-meter mark. Cal challenged the Huskies and pulled even at the halfway point, but the Huskies responded and held an open-water lead as they passed the 1500-meter mark. Oregon State and Stanford finished in third and fourth place.
UW's freshman eight came up with a big win in its race, beating a Cal eight that came to Seattle and beat the Huskies on the Montlake Cut earlier this season. The Huskies took the initial lead and stretched it to three seats at the 500 meter-mark, then up to a length at 1000 meters. Cal failed to respond to the Huskies' strength and UW won in open water.
The Huskies' third varsity eight finished with a time of 5:58.36 to take first. Cal jumped out to a three-seat lead at the 500-meter mark and held it through the halfway point, but the Huskies shrunk that lead down to just a boat deck at 1500 meters. Cal couldn't match the Huskies charge and the Huskies won by six seats.
UW won the varsity four to start the day with a time of 6:32.24, dominating the field of four boats. Cal, WSU and Colorado finished in second, third and fourth respectively. The Huskies led from start to finish.
The Huskies will conclude their season at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships May 29-31 in Mercer Lake, N.J., where they'll seek their fifth straight national title. Streaming information for the IRA National Championships will be distributed upon availability. Follow the Huskies on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @UWHuskyCrew.
