It was a weekend of mixed results for the UCLA women’s rowing team.
The Bruins’ varsity eight raced to a fourth-place finish Saturday, but the team took first place in the Petite Final on Sunday at the San Diego Crew Classic. Senior starboard Vanessa Teff, a varsity eight member, said Saturday’s disappointing performance was due to the team’s lack of focus.
“Instead of doing our best, we were concerned with the other teams,” she said.
Teff added that the varsity eight squad usually concentrates on what occurs in their own boat.
Yet in Saturday morning’s race, the team uncharacteristically worried about the speed of its opponents’ boats.
“We weren’t really calling the shots,” Teff said.
In the end, the miscommunication cost the Bruins, who were ranked No. 13 heading into the weekend.
UCLA finished in fourth place with a time of 6:45.78, more than five seconds behind first-place USC (6:40.11).
“It definitely wasn’t where we wanted to be,” Teff said. “We got caught in winning.”
The team’s focus returned in time for Sunday morning’s Petite Final, as UCLA (6:52.20) edged Iowa by just over a second.
Prior to the Bruins’ victory, UCLA’s second varsity eight team finished nearly 10 seconds behind victorious Washington State in a separate race for third place.
The Bruins also took fourth place in the novice eight race Sunday after taking second place on Saturday.
Despite the disappointment of Saturday’s finish, Teff said the team was able to gain valuable experience by competing against some of the nation’s best squads.
“The competition was great,” she said. “It was the first time we competed with both east and west coast schools (this season).”
The competitors were greeted by pleasant racing conditions at Mission Bay over the weekend.
Though a noticeable breeze resulted in some choppy waters, Teff believed it was the best weather she’s raced in since she’s been competing.
According to Teff, the weekend also marked the earliest time in NCAA history in which teams from both coasts of the country competed in the same event.
Teff feels that a more concentrated approach is a strategy that should help the team, regardless of who else is in the water with them.
“By focusing on our own boat we can create our own moves,” she said. “We need to gain our confidence back.”