Women's Crew California Challenge Cup

On Saturday, Beach Crew’s women’s boats faced a number of Southern California squads at the California Challenge Cup for a quick 1,400-meter sprint in Newport Beach, CA.

Long Beach State’s 1V started their first race with a bang, securing a win over UCI’s 2V in the 8+ event and winning by a one second margin for a 5:00.648 finish. In their second heat, Beach Crew’s 1V won over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, finishing considerably ahead by a few boats’ length. In their final heat versus OCC’s 1V, both crews raced with tremendous speed off the start. LBSU ultimately fell behind in the last few hundred meters, finalizing at a 5:31.825 and OCC at a 5:23.21.

This weekend was LBSU’s novice women’s debut, competing in a mixed UCI/LBSU novice N8+ squad. The ladies finished second place across the board to OCC’s 1N, UCI’s 1N, and UCSB’s 2V. Coxswain Brenda Torres was full of gratitude for UCI’s rowers who partnered up with them to give the ladies their first career races. Despite running into technical errors from the first race - notably steering the first with her hands behind her back on the T-bar as their steering cord had snapped, Torres was in admiration of her rowers’ resilience and perseverance through the pieces.

Catch the ladies again in action on March 16th as they compete in the Newport Regatta. Go Beach!