South of the border. Crossing state lines for the first time this spring, the Seattle Pacific University men's and women's crews will trade turbid waters of local lakes for the often swift currents of the Willamette River in Saturday's (Apr. 13) fifth annual Governor's Cup in Salem, Ore. The Falcons will be defending their titles in four races and trying the remain unbeaten this year in the women's novice and lightweight fours and men's light four categories. Next week SPU ventures farther south to the Blue Heron Redwood Sprints in Arcata, Calif.

G'day, gov'nor. The Governor's Cup traditional field includes SPU, Humboldt State, Lewis & Clark, Portland, Puget Sound and host Willamette. A year ago, Seattle Pacific and UPS combined to win 10 of 13 races. On the women's side, the Falcons won the varsity four, junior varsity four and the novice eight while the men finished on top in the novice four.

Crews make the cut. Remaining unbeaten on the season, the Seattle Pacific women's lightweight four successfully defended its title at the Husky Invitational last week in the Montlake Cut. Also winning was the SPU men's lights­rowing in an open category­and the women's novice four. Both light crew have gone 4-0 thus far. The Falcons absorbed their first defeat of the spring in the women's varsity, finishing runner-up to Washington.

"Everyone totally shined," said SPU Coach Keith Jefferson. "The men's light four pushed so hard and the women's light four also showed some stellar performance and a good time, relatively speaking."

Windy conditions, said Jefferson, made the first half of the 2000-meter races very difficult.

Last week's results:

Women's Results
Varsity 4: 1-Washington 7:07; 2-Seattle Pacific 7:28; 3-Gonzaga 7:32; 4-Western Washington 7:39; 5-Seattle University 7:42
Novice 4: 1-Seattle Pacific 7:41; 2-Gonzaga 8:02; 3- Evergreen 8:21
Light 4: 1-Seattle Pacific 7:48; 2-Oregon 8:00; 3-Puget Sound 8:42

Men's Results
Varsity 4: 1-Seattle Pacific 7:01; 2-Pacific Lutheran 7:12; 3-Washington 7:19; 4-Puget Sound 7:22; 5-Seattle University 7:38; 6-Lewis & Clark 7:45
Light 4: 1-Pacific Lutheran 7:04; 2-Seattle Pacific 7:08; 3-Oregon 7:47; 4-Portland A 8:06; 5-Portland B 8:30
Novice 4: 1-Mt. Baker 6:51; 2-Western Washington 6:57; 3-Gonzaga 7:05; 4-Seattle Pacific 7:13; 5-Evergreen 7:22; 6-Willamette 7:37

Short strokes.  While the SPU fleet has seen UPS, Lewis & Clark and Willamette already this season, this will mark the first meeting with Humboldt State, typically a top rival of the women at the Cascade Sprints...The Falcon women's varsity four has won the last three Governor's Cups and the men's novice four has finished either first or second each of the last four years.

Women's lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke­Kimberly Tschetter; 3­Trisha Sawatzky; 2­Andi Martineau; Bow­Trisha Weber; Cox­Emily Thomas.
• Varsity Light 4: Stroke­Andrea Reichert; 3­Julie Vieselmeyer; 2­Elyse Cansler; Bow­Erin Cox; Cox­Joanna Hodgkiss
• Novice 4: Stroke­Sarah Zorn; 3­Shannon Buehler; 2­Heidi Visser; Bow­Andi Martineau; Cox­Emily Thomas.
• Junior Varsity 4: Stroke­Kimberly Tschetter; 3­Trisha Sawatzky; 2­Heidi Visser; Bow­Shannon Buehler; Cox­Lindsay Dilschneider.
• Varsity Pair: Stroke­Kimberly Tschetter; Bow­Trisha Sawatzky.
• Varsity 8: Stroke­Andrea Reichert; 7­Julie Vieselmeyer; 6­Kimberly Tschetter; 5­Trisha Sawatzky; 4­Sarah Zorn; 3­Andi Martineau; 2­Elyse Cansler; Bow­Trisha Weber; Cox­Lindsay Dilschneider.

Men's lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke­Mike Lucero; 3­Tyler Van Stright; 2­Reid Shipley; Bow­Trevor Winters; Cox­Jennifer Helseth.
• Varsity Light 4: Stroke­Mike Lucero; 3­Trevor Winters; 2­Kyle Glines; Bow­Joel Braman; Cox­Jennifer Helseth.
• Novice 4: Stroke­Phil Walter; 3­Peter Small; 2­David Johns; Bow­Brandon Cooper; Cox­Kristina Richards.
• Varsity Pair: Stroke­Tyler Van Stright; Bow­Reid Shipley.

SPU Coaches. A past oarsman, alumnus and assistant coach, Keith Jefferson has steered Seattle Pacific University into uncharted waters in national prominence during his 11-year tenure as head coach. Jefferson, 40, became the fifth head coach at Seattle Pacific University in the fall of 1990, and has overseen the rise of the Falcons as a regional force in small college rowing. Both men's and women's boats have proved competitive at the national level in recent years. The women's varsity four won back-to-back Avaya Collegiate Championships in 2000 and 2001 after placing third in 1999. The men's four finished fifth in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association in 1995, the lightweight four was second at Dad Vail in 2000 and the novice four third in 2001. Regionally, Jefferson's fleet has medaled 14 times at the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships, including six golds. SPU has totaled 32 Cascade Sprint titles since 1994, punctuated by the school's first overall conference women's crown in 2001.