Oct. 28, 2010
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IOWA CITY, IA– The University of Iowa women’s rowing team hosted its media day Wednesday afternoon. The Hawkeyes welcomed members of the media to the Beckwith Boathouse as they spoke about the 2010 Head of the Iowa.
The team anxiously awaits their one and only home event of the season Sunday. The Head of the Iowa will kickoff at approximately 10 a.m. The event also marks the last event of the fall season for the Hawkeyes.
“It means a lot to the student-athletes to be here and to race in front of their friends and family,” said Head Coach Mandi Kowal. “We have an amazing family following and it doesn’t matter where we are in the country, they are there. But when you have the Head of the Iowa, sometimes professors, kids that are in the dorms and normally don’t get to follow us, and just kids within the community get to come out and enjoy the atmosphere.”
Iowa will have crews racing in the varsity 8+, novice 8+, varsity 4+, novice 4+ and pairs.
“For it to be a successful day, the majority of our boats need to race with this attack that we saw at the Head of the Oklahoma,” said Kowal. “If every crew comes down the water with that attack, I’m going to be excited.”
Senior Jessica Novack is looking forward to her final Head of Iowa. “It’s really special to be able to race in front of your home crowd,” commented Novack. “We do not get to do it every often, so I’m really excited to get out there in front of people who normally don’t get to watch us,”
Spectators can watch the race from City Park where vendors will be on site all day. City park amenities include play equipment, picnic shelters and tables and rest rooms. Additionally, Herky the Hawk will be at the event along with inflatable and tailgate games.
“I know a lot of people talk about coming down and seeing rowing,” said Kowal. “It’s something special that I didn’t realize was so special until the two years we didn’t host the event and many people came up to me within the community and even our team asking, `Coach, when are you going to have that race back?’ I could see in their eyes it was something really special.”
Veteran rower, Emily Melvold, is also looking forward to racing in front of the home crowd. “As seniors, this will be the second time that we have hosted the event. Knowing that we are seniors and this is the only home event of the season, it’s important to be able race on our own water and show our friends and family what it’s all about.”
“I encourage people to come down,” said Kowal. “It’s a different and fun event. The big event is at 10 a.m. with the women’s varsity 8, so come down and see that. The men’s 8 are before, so you can see the difference between the two events. It’s going to be a lot fun and there a lot of fun things to do at City Park.”