Michigan State University
Big Ten Championships
Spartans Move Two into Grand Finals
5/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
East Lansing, Michigan - Michigan State moved two of its four boats into the grand finals of the Big Ten Rowing Championships with strong performances in the opening heats on Saturday. The Championship will continue on Sunday on Eagle Creek Reservoir in Indianapolis, with racing scheduled to begin at 7:30 am.
Due to a forecast of inclement weather, the schedule of the Saturday heats was flipped, starting the schedule with the varsity eights. In the second heat, the Spartans lined up with Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa - MSU was even with the Hawkeyes at the 500 meter mark behind leader Wisconsin and the second-place Hoosiers. The Hawkeyes pulled ahead of the Spartans by a half a length at the halfway mark, and maintained that lead until the final 500. MSU closed the margin in the final stretch, finishing in a time of 6:55.91, just over a second and a half behind Iowa. The Hoosiers won the race in a time of 6:41.344, with Wisconsin almost a length behind. Unfortunately for the Spartans, they fell into the petite final by finishing fourth in their heat, despite clocking a better time than three of the four boats in the opening race (Michigan, Minnesota, and Rutgers) by at least two seconds.
The same schools lined up in the second varsity eight heat, and the Spartans were third through the first 500, trailing Indiana by four seats and leader Wisconsin by a length. MSU closed on the Hoosiers by the midpoint, getting back two seats, and looking to make another move on the Hoosiers to earn a place in Sunday's grand final. MSU made another move on Indiana, and the two roared through the sprint in a dead heat; the Hoosiers edged MSU by less than a half-second, (7:01.034 - 7:01.520) at the finish line, putting the Spartans into the grand final on Sunday morning.
The varsity four will race in Sunday's petite final, as it was fourth in its heat behind Ohio State, Michigan and Indiana. MSU will face Rutgers in the petite final, a crew whos time was more than 27 seconds behind the Spartans on Saturday.
The novice eight capped the day of racing and earned a spot in the Sunday grand final, posting the third-fastest time on the day overall and finishing a length behind Ohio State in the second heat. The Buckeyes were clocked in a time of 7:03.133, and MSU crossed in a time of 7:07.058 - and both had two lengths over Michigan (7:18.375), which also made the grand final. Minnesota and Rutgers will race in the petite final on Sunday.
With likely inclement weather on Sunday, the schedule for the petite and grand finals for the morning has also been altered, with racing starting 90 minutes earlier than originally scheduled.
Updated Big Ten Championship Schedule Sunday, May 17, 2015
7:30 a.m. - Varsity Eights Petite Final
7:40 a.m. - Varsity Eights Grand Final
7:50 a.m. - Second Novice Eight Petite Final
8 a.m. - Second Novice Eight Grand Final
8:10 a.m. -Varsity Fours Petite Final
8:20 a.m. -Varsity Fours Grand Final
8:40 a.m. - Second Varsity Four Grand Final
8:50 a.m. - Novice Eight Petite Final
9 a.m. - Novice Eight Grand Final
9:20 a.m. - Third Varsity Four Grand Final
9:40 a.m. - Second Novice Eight Grand Final
11 a.m. - Awards Ceremony
2015 Big Ten Rowing Championship Semifinal Heats Results
Varsity Eight (Heat 1): Ohio State 6:40.174; Michigan 6:58.021; Minnesota 7:00.469; Rutgers 7:23.411
Varsity Eight (Heat 2): Indiana 6:41.334; Wisconsin 6:45.709; Iowa 6:54.239; Michigan State 6:55.910
Second Varsity Eight (Heat 1): Ohio State 6:49.889; Michigan 6:59.130; Minnesota 7:11.474; Rutgers 7:34.018
Second Varsity Eight (Heat 2): Wisconsin 6:53.919; Indiana 7:01.034; Michigan State 7:01.520; Iowa 7:03.487
Varsity Four (Heat 1): Wisconsin 7:54.980; Iowa 7:57.722; Minnesota 8:16.671; Rutgers 8:48.839
Varsity Four (Heat 2): Ohio State 7:39.199; Michigan 7:51.439; Indiana 7:53.437; Michigan State 8:21.823
Novice Eight (Heat 1): Wisconsin 7:02.318; Indiana 7:09.763; Iowa 7:18.375, Rutgers 7:20.015
Novice Eight (Heat 2): Ohio State 7:03.133; Michigan State 7:07.058; Michigan 7:18.375, Minnesota 7:39.514
