UW Women Win Four Of Five Races At Cal Dual

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – The Washington women's rowing team won four of five races over California this morning at the annual UW-Cal Dual, at Redwood Shores.
 
Washington won all four eights races – the first, second, third and fourth varsity eights – while Cal won the varsity fours.
 
The UW came into the weekend ranked No. 10 in the country, but should move up after taking four of five from the No. 7-ranked Golden Bears. Last month at the San Diego Crew Classic, the UW women finished behind Cal in the first, second, and third varsity eight events.

"There has been an incredible dedication on our team to overcoming setbacks, working together and pushing each other," said Fiona Shields, the six seat in the second varsity eigh. "Excitement was really high for this race because the Cal dual has an incredible legacy that we are all thrilled to be a part of. We were all eager to show what we can do."
 
Washington retained the Simpson Cup with its victory in the varsity eight race. The two crews were neck-and-neck early on, but the Huskies took the lead by 500 meters. With coxswain Grace Murdock making her varsity eight debut, and with 2021 Pac-12 Rower of the Year Ella Cossill racing for the first time this spring, the Husky crew increased its lead to half a length by 1,000 meters. 
 
By 1,500 meters, the UW shell had taken nearly a full-length lead over Cal. The Huskies held off the Bears in the sprint, but Washington won the race with a time of 6:15.8. Cal's time was 6:19.1.

"Day by day, we are making progress," said UW head coach Yasmin Farooq. "Our strength has always been our depth, and more members of our team are healthy and returning to racing form. The teamwork and focus this weekend within and across all boats was excellent. Racing Cal always requires our best."
 
The UW's second varsity eight won its race in a slightly more comfortable manner, leading from for the entire 2,000 meters. The Husky crew had an open-water lead by the halfway point and maintained a clear advantage the rest of the way. Washington's time was 6:21.2, six seconds faster than Cal's (6:27.1).
 
The lone Cal women's win over the morning was in the varsity four, where it was the Bears who got out to the early lead. UW kept contact through the first half of the race, but Cal moved away in the third 500. In the final portion of the race, Washington closed the gap considerable, but Cal won with a time of 7:11.4, a little under three seconds ahead than UW (7:14.2).
 
Washington opened the regatta with victories in the third and fourth varsity eights. The fourth varsity eights race was close throughout, with the Huskies (6:44.20) edging the Bears (6:46.76) by two-and-a-half seconds.
 
The third varsity eight notched the most convincing UW win of the day. The Huskies' 3V8+, which had finished two-and-a-half second behind Cal in San Diego, won its race Saturday by just over 17 seconds.
 
Next up, the Huskies host the Windemere Cup/Opening Day Regatta on Montlake Cut on Saturday, May 7. This year, the UW will host the Great Britain women's national team and the Dutch men's national team in the annual event.

"Racing against Great Britain at the Windermere Cup will be another opportunity to grow as a team and build more boat speed," Farooq said. "Competing in RowTown USA with a full crowd on the Montlake Cut is a fantastic way end to our regular season, and is also a great energizer leading into Pac-12s."
 
Washington Lineups
 
Varsity Eight
Shell: Dottie Simpson
Cox: Grace Murdock (Roswell, Ga./Milton)
Stroke: McKenna Bryant (Kent, Wash./Kennedy Catholic)
7: Carmela Pappalardo (Salerno, Italy)
6: Holly Drapp (Tampa, Fla./Strawberry Crest)
5: Ella Cossill (Gold Coast, Australia)
4: Angharad Broughton (Cardiff, Wales, U.K.)
3: Teal Cohen (Dallas, Texas/The Hockaday School)
2: Aisha Rocek (Erba, Italy)
Bow: Brittani Shappell (Bellingham, Wash./Walworth Barbour)
 
Second Varsity Eight
Shell: Title IX Tenacity
Cox: Nina Castagna (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills)
Stroke: Joïe Zier (Orcas Island, Wash./Orcas Island)
7: Carmen McNamara-Smith (Seattle, Wash./The Center School)
6: Fiona Shields (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge)
5: Taylor Buell (Olympia, Wash./Capital)
4: Nikki Martincic (Newtown, Sydney, Australia)
3: Abby Adebiyi (London, England, U.K.)
2: Madi Frampton (Tumwater, Wash.)
Bow: Katherine Slack (Everett, Wash./Kamiak)
 
Varsity Four
Shell: Wendell S. Sykes
Stroke: Isabel van Opzeeland (Hoofddorp, Netherlands)
3: Atlanta Bruce (Auckland, New Zealand)
2: Claire Marion (San Marcos, Calif./San Marcos)
Bow: Laurel Safranek (Anchorage, Alaska/West Anchorage)
Cox: Carina Baxter (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge)
 
Third Varsity Eight
Shell: Title IX Sisterhood
Cox: Lauren Preston (Newtown, Pa./Notre Dame)
Stroke: Ava Meuleman (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt)
7: Renee Hopper (Preston, Wash./Issaquah)
6: Sophia Chaffey (Redmond, Wash./Bellevue Christian)
5: Leah Nash (Chatham, Mass./Monomoy)
4: Grace Epp (Redmond, Wash./Redmond)
3: Lauren Swing (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Ynez Valley)
2: Megan Andersen (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline)
Bow: Victoria Park (Bellevue, Wash./The Bush School)
 
Fourth Varsity Eight
Shell: Baby King
Cox: Izzy Angulo (Shoreline, Wash./Holy Names Academy)
Stroke: Claire Surbeck (Bellevue, Wash./International School)
7: Haley Stoker (Bellingham, Wash./Bellingham)
6: Brianna Hoffman (Poulsbo, Wash./North Kitsap)
5: Eliza Perry (Bellingham, Wash./Sehome)
4: Gabby Engel (Milwaukee, Wis./Whitefish Bay)
3: Carly Lauritzen (Nine Mile Falls, Wash./Lakeside)
5: Francesca Abraham (Bellevue, Wash./Int'l. School of Amsterdam)
Bow: Katie Dolan (Barrington, R.I./Barrington)