Consistent, powerful strokes and favorable lane assignments mean a lot in rowing. But 2,000 meters of straight, smooth and land-protected water, seven lanes and a spectator-friendly beach make a regatta.

All of which is why the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships will take place beginning today at Lake Natoma – the sixth national rowing competition held the past two months at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center.

Thirty universities and colleges – 16 representing Division I, six from Division II and eight from Division III – will participate, starting at 8 a.m. today with Division III qualifying heats.

Competition will continue through Sunday's Division I varsity eights grand finale – the most prestigious event – scheduled at 12:05 p.m.

"The straight course, the seven lanes, the buoy lines; in terms of the infrastructure, it's everything we need to have a well-run championship here," said Cal head coach Dave O'Neill, a former collegiate rower now in his 13th season with the Bears.

Cal, which has claimed four consecutive Pacific-10 Conference titles, including two weeks ago at Lake Natoma, is seeded second to Princeton, the only undefeated boat in varsity eights this season.

Cal's roster includes several rowers from Sacramento club sport programs.

Last year, second-seeded Yale rowed to a start-to-finish Division I varsity eights victory at Lake Natoma, while Virginia captured its first team title since the women's NCAAs began in 1997.

Yale, which had the fastest semifinal, completed the 2,000 meters while rowing into a head wind in 6 minutes, 24.76 seconds. Virginia (6:25.75) was second, followed by Princeton (6:27.06), Cal (6:27.60), Stanford (6:31.30) and USC (6:34.21).

"What people are telling me is that it looks like Cal, Stanford, USC and Princeton," O'Neill said of the varsity eights Division I contenders. "Virginia is going to be in there, and you can never discount Brown or Yale."

Cal, which has claimed two national titles and has placed second the past two years in varsity eights, is also among the favorites in second varsity eights and varsity fours.

While Division I schools will be competing for the NCAA championship for the 15th time (and seventh time at Lake Natoma), Division II and Division III schools will determine their 10th national champions.

The Division I team title has been divided among several schools. But the Division II and Division III competitions have been dominated by Western Washington (in Bellingham) and Williams College (in Williamstown, Mass.), which have won six and five consecutive titles, respectively.

The Division III varsity eights final is scheduled Saturday, with Williams again favored. Western Washington is again favored in the Division II varsity eights final Sunday.

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