Orange Coast Crew Finishes Fifth in Qualifying Heat

Defending champion Penn had to outrow some stiff competition--and a stiff wind--to gain a spot in the Intercollegiate Rowing Assn. varsity eights final during qualifying heats Thursday on Onondaga Lake. Orange Coast College finished fifth in its junior varsity eights heat, behind Navy, Brown, California and Northeastern.

Near-perfect conditions greeted the first crews out at 7:30 a.m., but after two heats were completed wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour turned the lake into whitecaps.

The nation’s oldest collegiate crew championship was set to resume today with second-chance heats.