Nov. 12, 2004
ORLANDO - After a fall season worth of practices and a couple of mock races on Lake Pickett, the UCF women's novice rowing team will put itself to the test on Saturday at the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association (FIRA) Fall Classic in Fellsmere, Fla.
The Golden Knights will be represented in two races. The fastest boat, which features coxswain Kim Swift, Laura Bacci, Cindy Elwell, Kayla Reiff, Erin Riegel, Katrina Gavette, Elizabeth Reuter, Vanessa Santana and Jessica Lorne, will compete against crews from Florida Tech, Miami, Rollins and Jacksonville in the Novice "A" event at 11 a.m.
Four UCF crews, including a lightweight eight, will race against Miami and Florida Tech in the Novice "B" event scheduled for 12:20.
In all around 45 rowers - most of whom have never participated in rowing before this year, will don the Black & Gold this weekend. The team readied for the regatta with two mock races during the past week and showed improvement from the first one on Saturday to the final one on Thursday.
Canal 54 in Fellsmere provides a straight two-mile course that is perfect for giving the team some experience before the spring season. "It's more about the rowers than the coxswains," said UCF assistant coach Becky Frost, who along with the assistant coach Christina Blair guides the novice program. "The race will be a good learning experience for the team and gives us the chance to see where we stand."