The University of Minnesota rowing team opened the fall competition in dominating fashion, winning both varsity events contested, today at the Head of the Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Golden Gophers, who was forced to cancel their first regatta of the season due to weather, won the Open 4+ and the Open 8+ events, as well as a singles race.
In the Open 8+ competition, Minnesota had three boats participating with three finishing in the top four. Minnesota's A boat of Megan Flannery, Berit Tomten, Maggie Armstrong, Jennifer Barnes, Erika Bartkute, Vilma Stragyte, Sally Olson, Catherine Casey and Jenna Buskohl won the Open 8+ event in a time of 14:21.35, while the second-place boat was Iowa at 14:44.64. Minnesota then took control of the next two spots, finishing third and fourth overall. Minnesota B boat of Kaja Tally, Laura Jatautaite, Mary Ann Weinzierl, Christine O'Donnell, Ashlee Vilmo, Katie Johnson, Rebecca Brzozowski, Sarah Graham and Heidi Bechtel clocked a time of 14:56.91. The Gophers' C boat of Erica Niemiec, Tracey Tallman, Lauren VanProosdy, Katie Simpson, Stephanie Bakkum, Ali Fisher, Emily Johnson, Anna Boyer and Erin Desmond nearly tied its teammates when they finished fourth overall in 14:59.91.
In Open 4 action, Minnesota had three boats competing as well, finishing first, fourth and seventh out of 33 entries. In the Minnesota A, Flannery, Jatautaite, Armstrong, Tomten and Buskohl won the race with a time of 15:14.58. After Kansas and Iowa took the second and third place, Minnesota's B boat of Niemiec, Liz Ponder, Lisa Pugh, Angela Reesman and Emily Baxter finished fourth in a time of 15:55.17. Minnesota C of Tally, Jessica Veit, Lindsey Kamp, Susan Closemore and Erika Gregory placed seventh overall in a time of 16:24.19.
Rachel Hotkowski won the open single event in a time of 18:05.89, beating out eight other participants.
In novice action, the Gophers competed in two events. The Gophers finished sixth (17:15.34) and 13th (18:29.81) in the Novice 4+ event out of 22 teams competing. Minnesota's A boat contained Jayme Lehman as coxswain, Michele Peterson, Jenna Schuder, Melissa Surdyk and Christine Cira. The Gophers' B boat was coxswain Anna Barberio, Casey Pettersen, Taylor Kimbel, Ashley Larson and Monica Folker. In Novice 8+ action, Minnesota's A boat led the charge with an 11th-place finish in a time of 16:10.44. The Gophers' B boat also competed and finished with a time of 17:51.14 and a 31st-place showing. Minnesota's A boat held Barberio, Petersen, Abby Tomasek, Surdyk, Schuder, Jessica Norman, Katie Aspinwall and Kate Lindgren. The Gophers' B boat was Lehman, Amanda Schutte, Megan McClanahan, Michelle Murphy, Brenna Galvin, Meredith Parish, Megan Lenarz, Rita Weiss and Sarah Young.
Minnesota closes out the fall season at the Rivanna Romp, Nov. 12, in Charlottesville, Va.
