Ready, row. They’ve gone all the way, and now they’re going still farther. The Seattle Pacific University spring rowing season is already underway but it won’t end until it’s time for high tea on the Thames. The Falcons, who race at the Daffodil Cup next Saturday (Mar. 27), will send their women’s varsity four to the Henley Women’s Regatta in June to conclude the campaign.

Back at the helm. Coach Keith Jefferson returns to the helm after spending the 2003 season on leave with the Marines. It will be his 14th year and it promises to be remarkable with the postseason excursion to England, June 18-20. The Falcons will send overseas the most successful crew in the program’s existence. SPU has claimed six national titles in fours and pairs since 2000. Jefferson is particularly pleased with the competitiveness for seats in his top boats.

The boat to beat. The women’s four which went unbeaten as novices in 2002, came back to win the national championship in the varsity category in 2003. Two members of that boat return this season and currently form the stern pair: stroke Sarah Zorn (Jr., Mercer Island, Wa./Lahser) and Andi Martineau (Sr., Superior, Mt./Superior). In the bow are Alicia Apple (So., Sequim, Wa.) and Carly Bollen (So., Missoula, Mt./Valley Christian). The coxswain is Joanna Hodgkiss (Sr., Tacoma, wa./Puyallup). Heidi Visser (Jr., Wenatchee, Wa./Wenatchee), who was in the varsity four last season, is currently stroking the JV boat.

So far, so good. Seattle Pacific started where it left off last spring, winning a dual race with Pacific Lutheran Mar. 13 on American Lake in Tacoma. The varsity boat finished three boat-lengths ahead of the Lutes with the JV crew just a length back in third. In the men’s race, SPU was first by a margin of 14 seconds over PLU. The men’s novice four also won.

Last week’s results:
Women’s Varsity 4: 1-Seattle Pacific A 7:40.0, 2-Pacific Lutheran A 8:07.4, 3-Seattle Pacific B 8:11.2, 4-Pacific Lutheran B 8:15.5, 5-Pacific Lutheran C, 8:40.2
Men’s Varsity 4: 1-Seattle Pacific A 6:46.0, 2-Pacific Lutheran A 7:00.0, 3-Seattle Pacific B 7:15.0, 4-Pacific Lutheran B 7:18.4
Novice 4: 1-Seattle Pacific 7:09.7, 2-Pacific Lutheran 8:09.5

Women’s lineups.
Varsity 4: Stroke–Sarah Zorn; 3–Andi Martineau; 2–Alicia Apple; Bow–Carly Bollen; Coxswain–Joanna Hodgkiss.
Junior Varsity 4: Stroke–Heidi Visser; 3–Elise Spencer; 2–Megan Sweeney; Bow–Laura Colby; Coxswain–Sue Weiseth

Men’s lineups.
Varsity Light 4: Stroke–Joel Braman; 3–Trevor Winters; 2–David Stalsbroten; Bow–Ryan Suess; Cox–Emily Thomas.
Novice 4: Stroke–Phil Chase; 3–Jeremy Bryant; 2–Jason Mobley; Bow–Ryan Flynn; Coxswain–Emily Fletcher

SPU Coaches. Keith Jefferson has steered Seattle Pacific University into uncharted waters in national prominence during his 13-year tenure as head coach. In the past five years alone, Jefferson’s Falcons have claimed national titles in six events, medaled in four others and won regional crowns in eight. A past oarsman, alumnus and assistant coach, Jefferson became the fifth head coach at Seattle Pacific University in the fall of 1990. In 2003 he took a leave of absence after being called up to active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. A lieutenant colonel in the reserves, Jefferson was an active member of the Marines from 1983-87. Jefferson succeeded Jim Schultz as coordinator of the program after serving two seasons as an assistant. A graduate of Bothell High School, Jefferson rowed for Seattle Pacific from 1979-83. He was a member of the light four which advanced to the semifinal at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia in 1982. Keith and his wife Lori have a son, Randy, and reside in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. Jessica Pennington served as interim head coach in 2003 and returns as an assistant for her third season. Pennington was oarsman of the year and an all-region selection as a senior in 2001 when she rowed in the national title varsity four.

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