Hawkeyes Open Fall Season

Oct. 1, 2007

IOWA CITY, IA –

THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa women’s rowing team will travel to Rockford, IL on Sunday for the season opener at the Head of the Rock. Races will begin at approximatley 8:55 a.m.

THE RACE: Rowers will race through a 2.75 mile course down the Rock River. The Hawkeyes will have competitors in the V2-, V4+ and V8+ events.

2006 HEAD OF THE ROCK: Iowa competed in three different events at last year’s races, including the varsity fours and eights, and the open pairs. The Hawkeyes placed in the top five in every event, and ended with a first place finish in the women’s open pairs. In the first varsity eight race, Iowa raced two boats, placing second and fifth. In the varsity fours Iowa had two boats compete, placing fifth and twelfth. The highlight of the competition was in the women’s open pairs where Kristin Kelly and Laura Kanaris earned a first place finish.

HEAD COACH: Mandi Kowal is in her 14th year as head coach of the Hawkeyes. In the 1997 and 1998 NCAA Rowing Championships, she coached the Varsity 4+ teams to fourth and eighth-places finishes, respectively. Kowal began her rowing career at the University of Wisconsin in 1981. She was a two-time rowing World Champion in the Women’s Lightweight 4- (1986-1987). She was named Female Athlete of the Year in 1987 by the US Rowing Association and was inducted into the United States Rowing Hall of Fame in 1997.

QUOTING COACH KOWAL: “We will use this week to continue our preparations for the upcoming race in Rockford. The team has been progressing well but still has plenty of areas to improve on. We will use this regatta as another opportunity to prepare for the Head of the Charles and the Head of the Iowa.”

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