Oct. 5, 2011
THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa women’s rowing team will return to action Sunday as it travels to Rockford, Ill., for the Head of the Rock. Races will begin at approximately 8:30 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Approximately 50 student-athletes from Iowa will be traveling to the Head of the Rock.
THE RACE: In Sunday’s regatta, hosted by the YMCA of the Rock River Valley, rowers will race down the Rock River’s 2.75-mile stretch, starting at Martin Park and ending at the YMCA Log Lodge. The Hawkeyes will place competitors in the Women’s Open Pairs, Collegiate Women’s 4’s and Collegiate Women’s 8’s.
EVENT INFORMATION: The event will take place on the banks for the Rock River and over 1,700 rowers from throughout the United State will gather in Rockford.
More information can be found at www.rockfordymca.org/ryrc/regatta.asp or www.regattacentral.com.
RACING FOR A CAUSE: The Hawkeyes will be wearing pink headbands during the event to raise awareness for breast cancer. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month and this October marks the 25th anniversary of awareness, education and empowerment.
LAST EVENT: Iowa opened the fall season at the Head of the Oklahoma Oct. 1 and 2 down a 4000m stretch of the Oklahoma River. The Hawkeyes qualified two varsity 8 boats and one varsity 4 to the Sprint Grand Finals and one varsity 4 to the Sprint Petite Finals. The Hawkeyes also had four open pair crews compete on the final day of competition.
Kendra Klaczak, Louise Bensz, Molly Pollpeter, Annemarie Bernhard, Katy Kroll, Christine Allingham, Susie Stralina Laura Hallman and Beth Baustian placed third in the 1V8+ with a time of 13:32.8 to qualify for the Sprint Grand Finals. The crew went on to place third (1:35.4), which was one place higher than host Oklahoma (13:40.2).
Iowa’s fastest V4+ boat came in fifth with a time of 15:32.1 during the morning session, which qualified for the Sprint Grand Finals. The quartet went on to post a sixth place finish at the grand final (1:50.9). The Hawkeyes top-finishing pair of Kroll and Bernard placed third overall with a time of 17.12.7.
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.
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.
QUOTING COACH KOWAL: “Our races this weekend are a measuring stick for our progress we made during our practices. On Sunday, we want to come in unified on land to set up for the water. We have to be put together on land and water and want to come out of the race one step further than last weekend’s race. Our focus is on gaining speed, so we are fast in the spring season.”