The Seattle Pacific Falcons narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth in the women's varsity 8+ grand final at the WIRA Championships, amid a fierce competition with Cal Poly Humboldt and Puget Sound. The race concluded with an official photo finish, where the difference for second to fourth place was just 0.192 seconds. Western Washington secured victory with a time of 6:53.422, while SPU clocked in at 6:57.973. Additionally, the Falcons' second varsity 4+ and novice 4+ finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in their races, showing improvements from earlier heats.

By the Numbers
  • SPU's varsity 8+ improved by 0.9 seconds from their previous time.
  • The varsity 4+ improved by 22 seconds while the novice 4+ was 23 seconds faster compared to Saturday’s performances.
State of Play
  • Three of SPU's boats were in grand finals, demonstrating strong competitive spirit.
  • The team is ranked No. 3 in the latest Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association rankings.
  • Upcoming GNAC Championships are set for May 16 on Lake Natoma, where several teams will reunite.
What's Next

Next week, the Falcons will conclude their regular season at the Windermere Cup in Montlake, featuring two separate races against Washington and Seattle University. They will also participate in the Twilight Sprints on Friday evening, marking another opportunity to showcase their speed and teamwork.

Bottom Line

Despite a close finish, the Falcons demonstrated resilience and improvement, setting a strong foundation for their upcoming championships. Coach Kenzie Waltar emphasized the importance of experience and camaraderie during high-stakes competition, which bodes well for their future races.