Gonzaga's Novice 8+ will compete in Washington, DC, this weekend.

April 9, 2008

SPOKANE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University men's rowing Varsity 8+ and Novice 8+ will participate in the 21st Annual George Washington Invitational Regatta Friday and Saturday on the Potomac River.

George Washington University will host the event which is the largest rowing competition in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

This year's regatta will have each team compete in three dual or tri races - one on Friday and two on Saturday. The race will take place on a 2,000-meter, four-lane buoyed course which begins near the Sprout Run area of the Potomac River with a finish line at Washington Harbour in Georgetown.

In addition to the Bulldogs and host Colonials, other men's squads participating are Georgetown University, University of Michigan, U.S. Naval Academy, Rutgers University, Syracuse University and the University of Virginia.

The Zags Varsity 8+, idle last weekend, will hit the water for its first race Friday at 1:36 p.m. PDT against the U.S. Naval Academy. The Bulldogs second race of the weekend will be Saturday at 8:48 a.m. PDT against Virginia and Michigan. Gonzaga's final race of the weekend is set for 2 p.m. PDT against Virginia and Rutgers.

The Varsity 8+ lineup will be coxswain Sean Finerty, stroke Warren North, Joe Dudley, Pat Swihart, Scott McCoy, Brendan McCarthy, Greg Malman, Patrick Moran and bow KC Anderson.

The Novice 8+ lineup will consist of coxswain Crystal Huff, stroke Matt White, Julian Stephanski, Andrew Krug, Carson Bowlin, Connor Wege, Neil Coppinger, Nick Willard and bow Benjamin Schwarz.

"This is a great race against multiple crews. These are good, fast crews from different levels. It affords us the opportunity to face strong competition," head coach Dan Gehn said. "It gives us a good measure of where we stand against East Coast crews and will prepare us for WIRA and IRA races later in the season."

The Bulldogs will indeed face some stiff competition. According to the latest America Collegiate Racing Association poll, Virginia is No. 1, Michigan is No. 2 and Rutgers is No. 6 in Varsity 8+. The ACRA is the organization focused on establishing a national championship event for collegiate rowing teams who are not eligible to compete in the IRA Championships.

Gehn said the late spring has his squad a little behind of where he would like them to be.

"The late spring has hampered us. Not in the fact we haven't been able to get on the water, but in the fact we have not been able to practice under the best of conditions," he said. "This weekend will be a good indicator and will show us where we need to adjust."

The weather in the Washington, DC, area calls for highs in the 70s Friday and Saturday with a 30 percent chance of afternoon showers Friday and a 70 percent chance of rain and thundershowers Saturday.

Gonzaga's GW Invitational Regatta Schedule

Friday, April 11
12:39 p.m.: Novice 8+ vs. U.S. Naval Academy
1:36 p.m.: Varsity 8+ vs. U.S. Naval Academy

Saturday, April 12
7:54 a.m.: Novice 8+ vs. Virginia and Michigan
8:48 a.m.: Varsity 8+ vs. Virginia and Michigan
1:12 p.m.: Novice 8+ vs. Virginia and Rutgers
2 p.m.: Varsity 8+ vs. Virginia and Rutgers
*21st Annual George Washington Invitational Regatta official website: http://www.gwir.org
All times PDT