GOLD RIVER, Calif. – It was a strong start to the spring season for the Pilots, who earned one win at the Sacramento State Invite in the varsity four race. The Pilots took third in both varsity eight races as well as the novice eight race.
Portland's varsity four posted a time of 7:48.9 to win the opening race, with Clarissa Gutierrez as the coxswain and Sarah Redmond as the stroke. It's the first win the Pilots have had at the Sacramento State Invite since 2019, when the varsity four for that squad earned a win as well.
The varsity four for Portland was even with the Hornets early on, with Sacramento State making a strong move in the second 500 meters to fend off the Pilots. In the third 500 meters, the Pilots propelled past the Sacramento State Hornets thanks to a strong spring led by Redmond. Portland ending up winning by just over three seconds.
"We went out there with the right mindset and really leaned into trusting the training from the last few months as well as each other," bow seat Gabby Twitchell said. "With trust and a solid race plan, we were able to come out with an awesome result. It's only up from here to WCC's in May, and I know we're all excited to see how much we can build on today's result throughout the season."
Each eight-person boat took third in their respective races, with the second varsity eight posting a time of 7:10.7, the first varsity eight finishing in 6:55.4 and the novice eight completing the race in 7:53.9. Leahbelle Paladino was the coxswain for the second varsity eight with Phoebe Barkann as the stroke, Dawon Lee Cox'd the first varsity eight with Kate Feustel as the stroke and Ania Fernandez was coxswain for the novices with Madi Quinton as the stroke.
The second varsity eight was the closest race of the day, with the top three crews finishing within three seconds of each other. 1,000 meters in, Portland had cemented a two-seat lead over Saint Mary's, but the Gaels countered to take a small lead heading into the final 500 meters. The Pilots pushed to the end and made gains on both the Hornets and the Gaels, but came up just short.
"It was a solid performance by a young boat featuring several Pilots making their spring racing debuts, and is a sign of good things to come for Portland Rowing," Portland head coach Gulliver Scott said.
The first varsity eight had a tough start but recovered to overtake Santa Clara and Humboldt State, with the latter being the Division II national champions last year. The Gaels and Hornets had built a significant enough lead that the late sprint from Portland couldn't close the gap.
Finally, the novice eight for Portland participated in their first 2,000-meter race as a boat. They took third in the race, with the early season contest showing their potential.
"This was a great early-season test for all of our crews and they all gained valuable experience," Scott said. "We put together some solid performances, and we also know what we need to improve upon. The squad is fired up to get back into training and race again later in this month."
Next, the Pilots are headed to American Lake to take on Puget Sound. The race will take place on Saturday, March 30. Check PortlandPilots.com for more information.
Varsity Four:
1. Portland, 7:48.9
2. Sacramento State, 7:52.4
3. Saint Mary's, 8:21.9
4. Humboldt State, 8:37.5
Second Varsity Eight:
1. Sacramento State, 7:08.7
2. Saint Mary's, 7:09.6
3. Portland, 7:10.7
4. Humboldt State, 7:22.4
Varsity Eight:
1. Sacramento State, 6:43.9
2. Saint Mary's, 6:51.0
3. Portland, 6:55.4
4. Humboldt State, 7:02.6
5. Orange Coast College, 7:16.7
6. Santa Clara, 7:28.3
Novice Eight:
1. Sacramento State, 7:43.7
2. Humboldt State, 7:47.5
3. Portland, 7:53.9
4. Orange Coast College, 8:16.1
Varsity Four:
Coxswain: Clarissa Gutierrez
Stroke: Sarah Redmond
Three: Alysa Gribben
Two: Rachel Mann
Bow: Gaby Twitchell
Second Varsity Eight:
Coxswain: Leahbelle Paladino
Stroke: Phoebe Barkann
Seven: Lauren Poehlmann
Six: Molly Spraker
Five: Rachel Hester
Four: Madi Franco
Three: Elizabeth Adams
Two: Gabriela Garcia
Bow: Tania Hernandez Abud
Varsity Eight:
Coxswain: Dawon Lee
Stroke: Kate Feustel
Seven: Mia Kilmister
Six: Claire Banasky
Five: Addison Thomas
Four: Megan Duifhuis
Three: Veronica Conklin
Two: Julia Kiplinger
Bow: Lexa Wendl
Novice Eight:
Coxswain: Ania Fernandez
Stroke: Madi Quinton
Seven: Rhea Sidhu
Six: Molly Manfred
Five: Jo Patton
Four: Audrey Tiller
Three: Elaina Thomas
Two: Madi Monteith
Bow: Lauren Rosander
