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Crew
San Diego Classic: Coxswain steers comeback course

By Glae Thien
Special to The Seattle Times

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SAN DIEGO — Coxswain Dana Ryan hopes to help lead the University of Washington women's crew to a major season-opening victory today in the San Diego Crew Classic. Already, she has accomplished a greater personal triumph over a life-threatening disease.

Ryan, a junior from LaJolla, Calif., stepped up to the varsity eight this season after recovering from Crohn's disease, an intestinal inflammation detected last summer.

Yesterday, with Ryan and six other varsity newcomers in the boat, the Huskies recorded the fastest time of two qualifying heats for the Jessop-Whittier Cup race for collegiate women. They covered the 2,000-meter course on Mission Bay in 6 minutes, 35.8 seconds, beating defending champion Cal (6:37.4).

Today in the finals, the Huskies will seek their 11th San Diego Crew Classic title in 13 years, while trying to avenge a narrow loss to Cal in a photo finish last year.

Ryan was honored by teammates as the crew's most inspirational member a week before the season. She battled her disease while also moving up from the varsity four that won the petite final at the NCAA championships last year.

"She's done a great job," senior rower Yvonneke Stenken said. "She came into this year really excited and determined to make the varsity boat, so she has a great attitude. She gives it everything, and we love her."

Ryan began experiencing health problems last summer. At the time, she said she knew nothing about Crohn's disease.

"I don't know what was going on," Ryan said. "I had been trying to lose weight by working out, and it didn't work. Then all of the sudden, it was like a pound a day."

From a typical weight of 135 pounds, the 5-foot-2 Ryan dropped to 95 pounds before undergoing surgery in October. During the operation, about a foot of her small bowel was removed because it was almost completely obstructed.

Ryan spent 10 days in the hospital while recovering, but soon returned to practice.
 
"You could tell she was really hurting, and she gave 100 percent every day at practice," said Eleanor McElvaine, Washington's first-year coach. "Also, anytime someone on the team has a life-threatening situation, it puts everything into perspective. We're just really proud of her."

Ryan, who grew up just four blocks from the San Diego Crew Classic course, hosted her teammates at a dinner at her home Friday night.

Notes

• Washington State's women's varsity eight was second in its heat at 6:39.19, behind only Tennessee (6:38.50), and also advanced to today's final. The final will include WSU, Tennessee, Washington, Notre Dame, USC, Wisconsin and Cal.

• In heats for the men's Copley Cup, Washington had the fastest qualifying time, 5:54.8, ahead of Northeastern (5:55.99). The Huskies are seeking to end a five-year title run by Cal, which won the other heat in 5:58.6.

SAN DIEGO CREW CLASSIC RESULTS

At Mission Bay; San Diego, Calif.

Races were 2,000 meters

Copley Cup (Men's Varsity Eight)

Heat A — 1, California 5:58.6. 2, Oregon State 6:00.14. 3, Stanford 6:04.95. 4, Purdue 6:05.60. 5, Colgate 6:14.87.Heat B — 1, Washington 5:54.8. 2, Northeastern 5:55.99. 3, Temple 6:03.23. 4, UC Davis 6:09.70. 5, Sacramento State 6:20.31.

Whittier Cup (Women's Varsity Eight)

Heat A — 1, Tennessee 6:38.5. 2, Washington State 6:39.19. 3(tie), USC and Notre Dame 6:39.69. 5, Stanford 6:43.78. 6, Villanova 6:49.15. 7, Purdue 7:10.41.Heat B — 1, Washington 6:35.8. 2, California 6:37.40. 3, Wisconsin 6:42.30. 4, Texas 6:46.84. 5, Oregon State 6:47.96. 6, Fordham 6:56.29. 7, West Virginia 7:04.82.

Men's Junior Varsity Eight

Heat A — 1, California 6:15.3. 2, Minnesota 6:31.65. 3, Orange Coast College 6:34.98. 4, UC San Diego 6:45.68. 5, Santa Clara 6:48.52. 6, UCLA 6:52.12.Heat B — 1, Washington 6:34.2. 2, Oregon State 6:38.63. 3, UC Davis 7:03.03. 4, UC Irvine 7:18.83. 5, San Diego State 7:21.43.

Women's Junior Varsity Eight

Heat A — 1, Washington State 6:49.40. 2, Wisconsin 6:54.07. 3, UCLA 7:06.66. 4, Stanford 7:06.76. 5, Sacramento State 7:14.85. 6, Loyola 7:16.60. 7, Southern Methodist 7:31.04.Heat B — 1, Washington 6:52.2. 2, Oregon State 6:56.09. 3, Texas 6:57.45. 4, Kansas State 7:14.86. 5, San Diego State 7:17.6. 6, San Diego 7:27.69. 7, UC Santa Barbara 7:40.97.Heat C — 1, California 6:51.19. 2, USC 6:57.89. 3, Notre Dame 7:08.99. 4, Clemson 7:15.21. 5, St. Joseph¹s 7:22.61. 6, UC Irvine 7:42.35.

HUSKY INVITATIONAL RESULTS

At Mountlake Cut

Races were 2,000 meters

Men's Varsity Eight

1, Washington "A", 6:17.3. 2, Washington "B", 6:25.0. 3, Washington "C", 6:30.6. 4, Washington "D", 6:35.8

Women's Varsity Eight

1, Washington, 7:06.7. 2, Oregon State/Washington State, 7:17.8

Men's Varsity Four

1, Washington, 6:36.6. 2, Western Washington, 6:52. 3, Washington State, 7:30.

Men's Junior Eight

1, Sammamish Rowing Club, — . 2, Green Lake Rowing Club, 5.5. 3, Everett Rowing Club, 9.6. 4, Pocock Rowing Center, 13.1. 5, Olympic Area Rowing, 14.

Men's Junior Eight

1, Green Lake Rowing Club, 6:12.6. 2, Everett Rowing Club, 6:15.1. 3, Sammamish Rowing Club, 6:18.1. 4, Mount Baker Rowing Club, 6:21.8. 5, Pocock Rowing Center, 6:39.

Women's Varsity Four

1, Washington, no time. 2, Washington State, no time. 3, Oregon State, no time.

Women's Junior Eight

1, Everett Rowing Club, 6:53.5. 2, Green Lake Rowing Club, 6:58.9. 3, Mount Baker Rowing Club, 7:01.7. 4, Sammamish Rowing Club, 7:04.8.

Women's Novice Eight

1, Washington "A", 6:52.0. 2, Oregon State, 7:02. 3, Washington State, 7:10 (DQ). 4, Washington "B", 7:11.

Men's Varsity Four

1, Washington "A", 6:32. 2, Washington "B", 6:47. 3, Washington "C", 6:52. 4, Washington "D", 6:57.

Women's Novice Four (1500m)

1, Washington, 6:02.7. 2, Oregon State, 6:07.2.

Women's Junior Lightweight Eight

1, Green Lake Rowing Club "A", 7:18.7. 2, Everett Rowing Club, 7:29.0. 3, Green Lake Rowing Club "B", 7:51.8.

Women's Junior Eight

1, Green Lake Rowing Club, 6:50.9. 2, Everett Rowing Club, 6:54.3. 3, Sammamish Rowing Club, 6:57.0. 4, Mount Baker Rowing Club, 7:07.1.

Men's Junior Lightweight Eight

1, Everett Rowing Club, 6:29.0. 2, Mount Baker Rowing Club, 6:29.2. 3, Green Lake Rowing Club, 6:36.6.

Women's Junior Lightweight Four

1, Olympic Area Rowing "A", 8:00.8. 2, Green Lake Rowing Club, 8:12.8. 3, Olympic Area Rowing "B", 8:53.3.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company