May 3, 2003
Seattle, Wash. – The Notre Dame rowing team fared well against top-ranked competition and 100,000 fans at the 2003 Windermere Cup on Lake Washington in Seattle. The Windermere Cup helped the University of Washington celebrate its 100th year of rowing and signaled the opening of yacht season in Washington.
Notre Dame, ranked 24th in the nation, saw the varsity eight place third, while the second eight was fourth and the varsity four was third.
In the Windermere Cup, the Belarus crew of coxswain Maryna Bunevich, Maryia Brel, Tatsiana Narelik, Volha Maroz, Nadezeya Snapkouskaya, Hanna Nakhayeva, Volha Zhylskaya, Nina Bondarava, Katsiaryna Zhuk was first in 6:46.45. Three of the women in the Belarus boat finished fifth at the 2002 World Championships in Sevelle, Spain last year. The two-time defending national champions and top-ranked Washington crew of coxswain Anne Hessburg, Lauren Estevenin, Carrie Stasiak, Adrienne Hunter, Heidi Hurn, Jessica Harm, Erin Curry, Mary Reeves, Yvonneke Stenken was second in 6:47.61, while Notre Dame’s team of coxswain Cassie Markstahler, Natalie Ladine, Ashlee Warren, Casey Buckstaff, Rachel Polinski, Alice Bartek, Meghan Boyle, Katie Chenoweth, Danielle Protasewich was third in 7:00.62.
In the Erickson Memorial Cascade Cup, Washington was first in 6:55.18, while Washington State, ranked 13th in the country, was second in 6:57.38. Oregon State, ranked 14th in the nation, was third in 7:05.73, while the Notre Dame crew of Kathryn Long (cox), Shannon Mohan (stroke), Kerri Murphy, Kathleen Welsh, Meredith Thornburgh, Kati Sedun, Devon Hegeman, Erica Drennen and Melissa Felker was fourth in 7:10.12.
In the varsity four, Washington was first in 7:55.82, followed by Washington State in 8:00.81. Notre Dame’s four of Kacy McCaffrey (cox), Katie McCalden (stroke), Christy Donnelly, Katie O’Hara and Andrea Amoni was third in 8:10.37, while Washington B was fourth in 8:13.50 and Oregon State was fifth in 8:19.98.
“All of our crews did well against some great competition,” head coach Martin Stone says. “The varsity eight race was close until the last 500 meters when Belarus and Washington took off – what you would expect from one boat who finished fifth at the World Championships and the other boat that is the two-time defending NCAA Champion. The second eight competed extremely hard and did well in such a prestigious race. The four had a good race as well. Overall, it was a good day for our program against elite competition.”
The Irish will have next weekend off due to final exams, and will next compete on Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18 at the 2003 Central Regions in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Results from the 2003 Windermere Cup
Women’s Windermere Cup (Varsity Eight)
1, Belarus 6:46.45
2, Washington 6:47.61
3, University of Notre Dame 7:00.62
Washington lineup — cox: Anne Hessburg, Lauren Estevenin, Carrie Stasiak, Adrienne Hunter, Heidi Hurn, Jessica Harm, Erin Curry, Mary Reeves, Yvonneke Stenken.
Belarus lineup — cox: Maryna Bunevich, Maryia Brel, Tatsiana Narelik, Volha Maroz, Nadezeya Snapkouskaya, Hanna Nakhayeva, Volha Zhylskaya, Nina Bondarava, Katsiaryna Zhuk.
Notre Dame lineup — cox: Cassie Markstahler, Natalie Ladine, Ashlee Warren, Casey Buckstaff, Rachel Polinski, Alice Bartek, Meghan Boyle, Katie Chenoweth, Danielle Protasewich.
Women’s Erickson Memorial Cascade Cup (Junior Varsity Eight)
1, Washington 6:55.18
2, Washington State 6:57.38
3, Oregon State 7:05.73
4, Notre Dame 7:10.12
Women’s Varsity Four
1, Washington 7:55.82
2, Washington State 8:00.81
3, Notre Dame 8:10.37
4, Washington 8:13.50
5, Oregon State 8:19.98