The Otago University Rowing Club is sending a women’s eight crew to the prestigious Windermere Cup in Seattle, Washington. International crews are invited to take on the University of Washington “Huskies” crew at the regatta, which is one of the highlights of the intercollegiate rowing calendar. This year the star crew is the Argentinean national squad, though the home crew is always tough to beat on their own water.
The event is held at Montlake Cut, which is part of the shipping canal system in central Seattle. The location lends an exciting atmosphere to the event with as many as 40,000 spectators lining the banks to cheer on their home crew. The racecourse is also treacherous; Otago coxswain Heather Scott will have to be on her game to negotiate a narrow gap that can only fit two crews at a time. Otago are borrowing a boat though so she shouldn’t be too worried.
The Otago eight will row against the Huskies as well as other universities, including powerhouse squad Gonzaga, in the second Division Cascade Cup event, a prestigious race in its own right. The University of Washington Rowing programme attracts the best rowers from around the world to compete on their team; they are essentially an Olympic class squad.
Otago team captain Sarah Lindley said the crew has had limited preparation. “We only started training in O-Week when the team was picked. The girls are really excited, the atmosphere will be awesome; this will definitely be the biggest crowd we have rowed in front of.”
2012 has been an excellent year for the Otago University Rowing Club. Fiona Bourke has been confirmed to compete at the London Olympics and is a genuine medal hope. Fergus Fauvel has a chance to qualify in the coming weeks. OURC will have six representatives in the New Zealand Universities rowing team. To top it off, Otago took out the rowing at the Uni Games over the Easter break.
Good luck ladies, row that boat.
Women’s eight take on eight other women in Windermere
