Winners make day one to remember

Perhaps it was the triple-digit heat. Maybe it was more easily explained by the rowing expression, "Precision trumps power."

Regardless, unpredictable results ruled Saturday in the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma.

A near-septuagenarian single skuller was victorious.

And a UC Davis men's lightweight eight squad competing together for the first time upset Washington State by about five seconds.

The diverse results were highlighted when the Capital Crew rowing club, comprised of area high school athletes, won the men's open varsity eight in 6 minutes, 13.2 seconds. Cal was second in 6:23.6, with Sacramento State-A third in 6:30.9.

"It was great example of efficiency of fitness," said Capital Crew coach Dameon Engblom, a former Sac State rower. "We won last year, too. Cal wasn't here, but Orange Coast College was.

"It just shows that rowing is 100 percent mental. We average 162 pounds in the boat. The Cal guys are like 190."

The seven-hour competition was open to all schools and clubs in Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado and Arizona. Fifteen universities were entered, as well as a group of solo masters division athletes.

The temperature was a concern. California and Washington crew representatives contacted event organizers seeking possible schedule adjustments.

Pacific-10 Conference spokeswoman Nicole Goyette said event records showed hotter championships were held in previous years, and the original schedule remained.

The UCD lightweight eight boat lost to Washington State two weeks ago. But the Aggies moved to a two-seat lead early in the 2,000-meter race and never trailed.

"They (Washington State) made their move just before 1,000 meters," UCD senior coxswain Keith Pullin said. "But then we countered and pulled away."

David Lay, a 69-year-old single skuller from Sausalito who usually competes in marathon ocean events, dominated his race. Lay, who was believed to be the oldest competitor Saturday, received a graded handicap early start based on his age. But he increased his advantage and won the second of two master single-skull races by nearly 43 seconds in a borrowed boat.

"I'm used to open-water marathons (10- or 20-mile events), so I wasn't sure about the lanes and racing for 2,000 meters," said Lay, a former competitive sailor and Alpine skier who took up rowing in 2005. "It was only my fourth race; I wasn't sure what to expect."

Meanwhile, Sac State finished second in the women's novice four and open four, and UCD was second in the men's open two.

In Division II, Western Washington won the women's varsity four and varsity eight.

The two-day regatta continues today with the men's and women's Pac-10 Rowing Championships. The first of eight heats will start at 8 a.m. Twelve finals are scheduled, the first at 1:10 p.m.