Rowing Competes In Two Races On Chattahoochee

Nov. 8, 1999

GAINESVILLE, Ga. – The Clemson rowing team competed in the Head of the Chattahoochee and the Chattahoochee Chase on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, GA last weekend.

At the Head of the Chattahoochee on Saturday, Clemson’s two boats placed fourth (21:18.9) and seventh (21:54.8) out of 13 boats in the Women’s Freshman Novice 8+. Duke won the event with a time of 19:39.1, and Louisville was second with a time of 19:47.8. Texas was third at 20:52.1.

The Tigers placed fifth (21:10.2) and eighth (21:16.6) in the Women’s Championship 4+. There were 21 entries in the event. Miami won the head race in 20:39.8, followed by Jacksonville at 21:02.4. The two boats from Texas placed third (21:09.9) and fourth (21:10.0).

Clemson placed three boats among the 20 entries in the Women’s Championship 8+ race. Due to the sun’s glare on the water in the afternoon, all three of Clemson’s Varsity 8+ entries missed a buoy in the first turn of the three mile course, and all three boats were penalized 30 seconds. The Tigers placed seventh with a time of 19:57.5, eighth with a time of 20:01.6 and 15th with a time of 20:59.1. Miami also missed the buoy, but still won the race with an adjusted time of 19:16.9. Duke was second at 19:20.0, followed by Central Florida with a time of 19:24.1.

At the Chattahoochee Chase on Sunday, the Tigers entered three boats in the Women’s Championship 8+. Clemson’s top boat placed second with a time of 19:11.7, and the Tigers’ next boat was fourth with a time of 19:29.7. The third boat placed tenth at 20:36.9. North Carolina won the event with a time of 18:56.1, and Texas was third with a time of 19:15.9.

“It was a beautiful weekend for a regatta,” said Clemson head coach Susie Lueck, now in her second season with the Tigers. “The water conditions were great and the racing was competitive. The only boats faster than Clemson’s first novice 8+ were from scholarship programs whose novice have high school experience. Sunday’s racing was exciting with Clemson finishing second, fourth and 10th.”