UW Crew
National championships: Huskies varsity men move to IRA semis

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CAMDEN, N.J. — All three Washington varsity crews advanced to the semifinals yesterday at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association men's national championships on the Cooper River.

The UW's second-ranked varsity eight, junior varsity and varsity four boats will compete in today's semifinals that determine the field for tomorrow's six-boat grand finals.

The UW eight won their heat in 5 minutes, 42.43 seconds, five seats ahead of Yale, which finished in 5:44.28. Rutgers was third in 5:45.95.

"That was the only objective this morning, to get there first so we wouldn't have to come out here and row in the repechage this afternoon," Washington coach Bob Ernst said. "So, mission accomplished."

The UW varsity four finished in 6:22.9, followed by Hobart in 6:23.36.

"The fours are a little bit more of a crapshoot," Ernst said. "They have to stay on their game. The issue here is, you want to win, but you don't want to expend any more energy than you have to. There are some tactics, and the coxswains really have to be on their game."

The Huskies' freshman eight finished fourth in its heat, then placed third the repechage race. The top-two repechage finishers advanced to the semifinals.

UW's Alan Oriard and Kevin Bacha were third in their heat for men's pair without coxswain. They row in the repechage today.

Among other local schools competing, Washington State finished fifth in its varsity fours heat, and the Gonzaga four won its heat in 6:34.07.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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