Alabama
Big 12 Double Dual
Alabama Rowing Sweeps Slate of Saturday Races at Big 12 Double Dual
4/8/2017 5:44:00 PM | Rowing
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Alabama rowing faced off against a slate of conference opponents Saturday at the Big 12 Double Dual at Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Crimson Tide won each of its 10 races across two separate sessions of competition.
"Overall it was a good solid team performance with the potential for even more speed improvement," UA Head Coach Larry Davis said. "It was good to sweep a double dual meet, especially with us not being able to have much water time this week with the river conditions in Tuscaloosa. Because of that, I think we probably didn't pick up as much boat speed as I would have liked but we came out and were very competitive against some of our conference opponents."
The majority of Alabama's wins were decisive wins, though the afternoon's First Varsity 8+ race against Old Dominion provided a nail-biting finish in the final race of the day.
"We rowed a lot cleaner races in the second race of the day in each crew," Davis said. "It was a barn-burner of a finish in the 1V8+. We were fighting from behind for most of the race and had enough tenacity and willpower to get the bow across first. The other boats had a little easier time but overall it was a good solid team performance."
Alabama was matched up against West Virginia in the morning session of racing, starting off with a winning finish of 7:13.09 in the Third Varsity 8+. Tennessee joined for the Second Varsity 4+, with the Tide defeating the Vols by over 12 seconds with a time of 7:47.7. Alabama continued the morning session with wins in the First Varsity 4+ (7:57.5), Second Varsity 8+ (7:06.9) and First Varsity 8+ (6:54.9).
In the afternoon session, Alabama squared off against Old Dominion and again won each of its five races. Each crew posted improved times from the morning, starting with a 7:11.4 finish for the Third Varsity 8+. The Tide bested a field of three in the Second Varsity 4+ (7:38.4) and then defeated the Monarchs head-to-head in the First Varsity 4+ (7:36.7), Second Varsity 8+ (7:05.1) and First Varsity 8+ (6:47.0).
After this weekend, Alabama will have a week off of competition before heading to Dallas on Saturday, April 22 to face SMU and Tulsa. That will mark the final regatta of the spring before the Big 12 Championships on May 13-14.
"We can be in the mix this year but we'll certainly have to keep building our speed," Davis said looking ahead to this year's Big 12 Championships. "We should be in the hunt for what we want to do to move up in the conference. It won't be easy but I think races like today show that as a team that we are further along than we have been past few years."
BIG 12 DOUBLE DUAL REGATTA RESULTS
Third Varsity 8+
Morning Session
- Alabama 7:13.09
- West Virginia: 7:50.0
Afternoon Session
- Alabama: 7:11.4
- Old Dominion: 7:49.5
Second Varsity 4+
Morning Session
- Alabama 7:47.7
- Tennessee: 7:59.75
- West Virginia: 8:23.6
Afternoon Session
- Alabama: 7:38.4
- Tennessee: 7:42.7
- West Virginia: 8:10.1
First Varsity 4+
Morning Session
- Alabama: 7:57.5
- West Virginia: 8:32.4
Afternoon Session
- Alabama: 7:36.7
- Old Dominion: 8:25.5
Second Varsity 8+
Morning Session
- Alabama: 7:06.9
- West Virginia: 7:17.6
Afternoon Session
- Alabama: 7:05.1
- Old Dominion: 7:17.2
First Varsity 8+
Morning Session
- Alabama: 6:54.9
- West Virginia: 7:00.9
Afternoon Session
- Alabama: 6:47.0
- Old Dominion: 6:47.2
For the latest information on Alabama rowing, follow the team on Twitter (@AlabamaRow) and Instagram (AlabamaRow) and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
