Within throwing distance from the pollen-free beaches in Sarasota, Florida, the North Carolina rowing team competed in the Sunshine State Invitational. The regatta featured Alabama, Tulsa, Central Florida, Miami, Kansas State, Jacksonville, Stetson and North Carolina.
What happened?
Head coach Sarah Haney said that her team — despite a less-than-stellar overall showing — will learn from the experiences garnered this weekend.
The 3rd Varsity was the only boat of eight that medaled for North Carolina, finishing third in its heat with a 7:04.6 time. The next best finish was North Carolina’s Varsity Four boat that finished fourth in its heat. The Varsity B4+, Second Varsity 8 and Varsity 8 each finished sixth in their respective races.
Who stood out?
Beyond the fact that it had the best result, the 3rd Varsity squad’s bronze finish proved that North Carolina has depth. The Tar Heels’ top of the lineup will need to perform better in order for the team to put together a well-rounded finish come the end of the season.
Why does it matter?
This regatta marks the first of two tasks that will truly test the young Tar Heels — giving them a flavor for what the ACC Championships will be like. Next weekend, North Carolina will face similar-caliber competition in the Knecht Cup.
All in all, despite the fact that the Tar Heels did not eclipse their potential this weekend, their showing at the Sunshine State Invitational proved beneficial because it illuminated a few areas of possible improvement. Most specifically, Coach Haney’s biggest takeaway from the competition was that her team must “attack more.”
