Lwt. Crew picks different opponenets at IRAs

The Penn lightweight crew team didn't finish second-to-last at last weekend's Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship Regatta.

The Quakers still finished 10th, though, as has almost come to be expected of them.

But instead of competing in the varsity lightweight eight races, and more than likely finishing 10th out of 11 teams overall, Penn coach Bruce Konopka decided to compete in the varsity coxed four and varsity straight four races with the heavyweights.

The result was, of course, a 10th place overall finish. Crossing the line at 6:46.57, the Quakers `B' boat took fourth in the Petite Final of the varsity straight four.

But since the field was 15 strong, Penn defeated five teams -- two in the Petite Final and three in the Third Level Final -- instead of one.

"I thought the end was pretty upbeat, and we got some good racing in," Konopka said. "One of the four withouts that we had beat Georgetown, which was quite an accomplishment. It also gave us a chance to beat some people that we had lost to during the year."

Penn's `A' boat in the varsity straight four, also manned by four members of the lightweight crew team, took second in the Third Level Final.

Penn's varsity coxed four boat also found some success, though it was far more inconsistent over the course of the weekend.

The coxed four rowed as fast as 6:38.06 in reps last Thursday, but then followed that up in Friday's semifinals with a time of 7:36.85 -- nearly a minute slower than the day before.

This foursome eventually finished sixth in the Petite Final.

Nonetheless, Konopka is proud of the boat's accomplishments.

"I thought it was pretty good, as we were in the upper half of the race," Konopka said. "We made it to the semifinals, which was quite an accomplishment. They ended up getting four more races in, so it was a pretty good end to the season."

There was also a Third Level Final in the varsity coxed four last weekend, so this foursome of Penn rowers officially defeated six teams instead of the usual one.

The Quakers did that one team -- No. 11 Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- a favor, because while the Beavers still finished last place by a huge margin in the lightweight varsity eight Petite Final, they also moved up one spot to 10th place because Penn opted not to compete.

Unfortunately for the Red and Blue faithful, Penn did not face MIT in head-to-head competition this year.

As a result, the Quakers finished their 2001 spring campaign winless in dual meets.

However, Penn remains positive about the future, and Konopka has already identified the problems that need to be corrected in order for positive change to take place.

"I think we need to get stronger," Konopka said. "Our ergometer scores aren't where they should be compared to the competition.

"We just have to get a better mental outlook on racing."

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