Rowing Heads to Oak Ridge, TN for Aramark Central/South Region Sprints

May 12, 2005

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The Clemson rowing team will travel to Oak Ridge, TN to take part in the ninth annual Central/South Region Championships. The sprints, sponsored this year by Aramark, feature 21 teams competing in the varsity 8+, second varsity 8+, varsity 4+, novice 8+, second novice 8+, and open 4+. The event will get underway at 9:00 AM from Melton Hill Lake. Last season, Virginia won the overall standings and the South Region, while Ohio State claimed the Central Region title.

The Tigers enter this weekend ranked third in the latest South Region poll by the NCAA. Clemson, coming off a second-place finish at the ACC Championship, trails only Virginia and host school Tennessee in the region team rankings. The Tigers’ varsity 8+ is the leading vote-getter outside of the top 20 schools in the latest US Rowing/CRCA poll. The varsity 8+ will feature four heats on Saturday morning, with the top three from each heat advancing to the semifinals. Clemson is grouped with Kansas State, Tennessee, Virginia, Iowa, and SMU in the 11:40 AM heat for that race.

The second varsity 8+, which earned ACC Crew of the Week honors on March 21, will compete with Kansas, Kansas State, Notre Dame, and Virginia in a 10:30 AM heat. The top three from that heat advance to the semifinals Saturday afternoon.

The varsity 4+, which finished second at the ACC Championship on April 23, competes in a 10:10 AM heat with Central Florida, Texas, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Kansas State. In the varsity 4+, the top four finishers from each of three heats advance to the semifinals Saturday afternoon.

Clemson’s most successful boat this spring has been the novice 8+, which captured its first ever ACC Championship over Virginia on April 23. The Tigers have a tough draw, facing Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Kansas State in a 9:40 AM heat. The winner of the three novice heats advances to Sunday’s final. The remaining boats advance to reps.

The open 4+ will kick off the event Saturday morning, as Clemson’s second varsity 4+ will compete against Kansas, Miami, Ohio State, and Duke in the first of three heats. Just like the novice 8+, only the winner of each heat advances to the final. The remaining boats advance to reps.

The Tigers’ second novice 8+ will also compete in the event, but in a final-only format. That championship will be decided Sunday at 9:50 AM between Clemson, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Tennessee, and Virginia.

The grand finals of the Aramark Central/South Sprints will take place beginning at 10:00 AM on Sunday morning.

Clemson Saturday Heat Schedule 9:00 AM Open 4+ 9:40 AM Novice 8+ 10:10 AM Varsity 4+ 10:30 AM Second Varsity 8+ 11:40 AM Varsity 8+

Saturday Semifinal/Repechage Schedule 2-2:10 PM Open 4+ Reps 2:20-2:30 PM Novice 8+ Reps 2:40-2:50 PM Varsity 4+ Semifinals 3-3:10 PM Second Varsity 8+ Semifinals 3:20-3:50 PM Varsity 8+ Semifinals