Sept. 28, 2011
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THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa women’s rowing team will kick off the fall season Saturday and Sunday when it travels to Oklahoma City, Okla. for the Head of the Oklahoma. Races will begin at approximately 11 a.m. Saturday and will continue Sunday at approximately 8 a.m.
THE RACE: In this weekend’s regatta, hosted by Oklahoma City University, rowers will race through a 2.5 mile course down the Oklahoma River. The event is part of Oklahoma’s City’s premier fall event, the Oklahoma Regatta Festival. The Hawkeyes will be competing in the collegiate 8’s, 4’s and open pairs.
EVENT INFORMATION: Live video and results can be found at the official page of the Oklahoma Regatta http://oklahomariverevents.org/ under the Live Video tab. An event schedule can also be found.
VENUE The 2011 Oklahoma Regatta Festival and OCU Head of the Oklahoma Regatta will be held in Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District on the Oklahoma River.
The Oklahoma River has been named a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site and is the home of the OKC National High Performance Center for both rowing and canoe/kayak. Working closely with national governing bodies USRowing and USA Canoe/Kayak, the OKC National High Performance Center is now home to more than 40 resident athletes training with their eyes on the Olympic Games in 2012.
HEAD COACH: Mandi Kowal is in her 18th 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.
HOME OF THE HAWKEYES: The P. Sue Beckwith, M.D., Boathouse was dedicated September 18, 2009. The new state of the art facility for the Hawkeyes is located within the city of Iowa City’s Terrell Mill Park, next to the Iowa River.
QUOTING COACH KOWAL: “This race has turned out to be a very special event. The energy and format of the Head of the Oklahoma provides a unique opportunity for the athletes. I know we enjoy this format, in particular the 500m sprint under the lights. But beyond that we plan to use this regatta as a stepping stone for our progress.”
HEAD OF THE IOWA: The Unviersity of Iowa women’s rowing team will host the Head of the Iowa on Oct. 30. The event will be held at the Beckwith Boathouse and will start at approximately 10 a.m.