Rowing | Top-seeded UW men finish third in varsity eight grand final at Pac-10 championships

GOLD RIVER, Calif. — Washington's men rowers began the finals of the Pac-10 Rowing Championships as hot as the weather conditions. But the Huskies faded as the temperatures rose Sunday at Lake Natoma.

The top-seeded men were upset by California and Washington's women likely earned a position in the NCAA finals by placing fourth in the varsity eight. The final event of the day, the women's varsity eight grand final, ended with the temperature at 102 degrees.

Washington was favored as the top seed in the men's varsity eight grand final, but the Bears' used the upset win to propel them to a team sweep.

"We were a little too excited at the beginning," said Washington junior stroke Will Crothers. "We just didn't row our own race the way we could have."

The Bears assumed a slight early lead over Washington and Stanford, but Cal's advantage was never more than two seats. Stanford surged halfway through the 2,000 meters into second over Washington, with Huskies fading in the final 500 meters. The Bears won in 5 minutes, 41.9 seconds, with Stanford second in 5:42.2 and Washington third in 5:44.1.

The women's grand final was no contest. Top seed Stanford moved into an early lead and won in 6:18.6, followed by Stanford in 6:22.0, Oregon State in 6:29.40 and UW in 6:29.60.

The Golden Bears won the men's team title with 67 points. Washington was second with 64 points and Stanford was third with 52.

California won every women's grand final but the varsity eight in claiming the team title for the second straight year with 70.5 points. Stanford was second with 67 and Washington was third with 57. Washington State finished sixth in the men's and women's team standings.

Stanford, the top seed, received an automatic bid to the NCAA championships May 29-31 in Cherry Hill. N.J. The Huskies, Oregon State and California will likely get invitations to the 16-team regatta when the field is announced Tuesday.

"We finished about where we are," said Washington's women coach Bob Ernst. "It was a good regatta. Certainly, Cal and Stanford deserved to be ranked No. 1 and No. 2. The rest of the field will be interesting to sort out. But I think our team belongs in the NCAAs. But we just don't have the power to go with Cal and Stanford right now."

Washington and Gonzaga will compete in the IRA Championships, the men's equivalent of the NCAAs, at Lake Natoma June 4-6.