The Portland Pilots women’s rowing team earned three victories on April 25 in the first day of the Triton Invite in Chula Vista, California. The second varsity four won both its races against UC San Diego and Sacramento State, while the second varsity eight picked up a win over Sacramento State.
These results mark a strong start for the Pilots at the regatta. The event is significant as it provides opportunities for teams to compete against regional opponents and assess their progress during the season.
In morning races, the second varsity four finished ahead of UC San Diego with a time of 7:55.60 and later defeated Sacramento State with an 8:13.18 finish. Reegan Gardiner served as coxswain for these races, with Sam Kronis as stroke. The second varsity eight posted times of 7:15.46 in the morning and improved to a winning time of 7:19.77 in the afternoon against Sacramento State, led by coxswain Natalie Petty and stroke Averie Zealley.
Other Portland boats placed second in their respective events throughout Saturday’s competition. The varsity eight crew—coxed by Leahbelle Paladino with Julia Kiplinger as stroke—recorded times of 6:56.41 against UC San Diego and 7:15.29 facing Sacramento State. In the varsity four category, Bella Valenzuela (coxswain) and Phoebe Price (stroke) led their boat to finishes of 8:04.06 and 8:11.42.
The regatta continues Sunday with additional races scheduled to begin at 9:10 a.m., starting with another round for the varsity eight crews.
