Going south. Generally speaking, the weather tends to be a bit better to the south this time of spring, and that would sit just fine with Seattle Pacific University’s rowers. The Falcons will head that direction for their next two regattas, beginning with Saturday’s (Apr. 9) Blue Heron Redwood Sprints in Eureka, Ca. The following weekend SPU will test the currents of the Willamette River in Salem, Or., during the Governor’s Cup Apr. 16.

Midseason matchups. It’s important that over the next two regattas Seattle Pacific settle in for the championship portion of the schedule. The Falcons will face host Humboldt State, Mills, Oregon and Willamette this week. Next week, the field is pared to host Willamette and Lewis & Clark in the final test prior to the conference championships Apr. 23.

Calm seas. The whole idea of crew racing is for the shell to skim across the water as fast as possible. The crafts are not constructed for heavy weather, and yet that’s exactly what they’ve encountered on Northwest lakes the past couple weeks. The Redwood Sprints is another story. It takes place in the salt water of Humboldt Bay with an added twist of tidal currents affecting the races. At Salem, the Falcons will row upstream on a narrow bending course.

Water all around. Seattle Pacific’s fortunes sank but fortunately all of the boats stayed afloat at last week’s stormy NCRC Invitational. Inclement weather produced a nasty crosswind and some choppy waters. Combine that with a steady rain and Vancouver Lake was a mess. In a rare loss, the Falcons finished fourth in the women’s varsity final. The top boat on the day was the men’s varsity four which took third behind Long Beach State and Portland. The men’s novice four was fourth and the novice females did not advance to the final.

Bad news, good news. The women’s varsity, which had won 23 of its last 27 outings, including the first two outings this spring, were left out of the medals at Vancouver. Long Beach State finished a bow in front of Oregon State with Oregon two-lengths behind. Coach Keith Jefferson said the best news was that SPU finished in front of regional rival Orange Coast College, which will help when national championship invitations are determined. Otherwise, Jefferson termed the experience “miserable.” Boats veered off course and–between the waves and rain–were nearly swamped.

Women’s results.

• Varsity 4 (Final): 1-Long Beach State 8:33.10, 2-Oregon State 8:33.55, 3-Oregon 8:41, 4-Seattle Pacific 8:53, 5-Orange Coast 9:00.

Men’s results.

• Varsity 4 (Final): 1-Long Beach State 7:47, 2-Portland 8:01, 3-Seattle Pacific 8:10, 4-Oregon State 8:20, 5-Lewis & Clark 8:36
• Novice 4 (Final): 1-Puget Sound 7:45, 2-Lewis & Clark 7:51, 3-Oregon State 8:09, 4-Seattle Pacific 8:23, 5-Oregon State B 8:24, 6-Humboldt State 8:51.

Women’s lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke–Carly Bollen; 3–Andi Martineau; 2–Alicia Apple; Bow–Megan Sweeney; Coxswain–Megan Giske
• Novice 4: Stroke–Kimberly Leinstock; 3–Katie Bobson; 2–Carolyn Robbins; Bow–Claire Walter; Coxswain–Megan Giske

Men’s lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke–Jeremy Bryant; 3–Jason Mobley; 2–Ben Zupke; Bow–Jon Paul Ramirez; Coxswain–Jeney Wierman
• Novice 4: Stroke–Ben Zupke; 3–Nate Shockey; 2–Charles Lowenkopf; Bow–Matt Hall; Cox–Jeney Wierman

SPU Coaches. Keith Jefferson has steered Seattle Pacific University into uncharted waters in national prominence during his 14-year tenure as head coach. In the past six years alone, Jefferson’s Falcons have claimed national titles in seven events, medaled in four others and won regional crowns in 10. 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 n 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 daughter, Emma, and reside in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. Jessica Pennington served as interim head coach in 2003 and returns as an assistant for her fourth 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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