SAN DIEGO -- The Bates men's and women's rowing teams competed against Division I level competition Saturday and Sunday at the San Diego Crew Classic to open the spring season. 

"I'm very pleased with the fearless approach our crews took in San Diego," head coach Peter Steenstra said. "We knew going into it that we wouldn't have any time on the water in preparation for the weekend of racing but that didn't discourage any of the 54 athletes who were able to make the trip. They like to work hard but they love racing and this group showed that spirit this weekend."

On Saturday, the Bates men's first varsity eight impressed in its Copley Cup heat. Led by senior coxswain Evan Saltman (Newfields, N.H.) and senior stroke Espen Wheeler (Paradis, Norway), Bates took second out of five schools, racing to the finish in 6:30.710. The Bobcats finished ahead of MIT (6:35.200), UC Santa Barbara (6:38.050), and Long Beach State (6:57.100), with only the University of San Diego (6:26.570) crossing the finish line ahead of Bates in the heat. 

The Bates men's 1V out-raced San Diego in Sunday's championship final, taking fourth out of six crews with a time of 6:13.718. The professional Dutch crew A.S.R. Nereus won the race in 6:07.045. It was a tight battle for second, with Marist (6:12.148) edging Gonzaga (6:13.205) and Bates. UC San Diego finished fifth (6:14.055) and San Diego finished sixth in 6:18.168. 

On the women's side, the first varsity eight, led by sophomore coxswain Lucy Del Col (Wellesley, Mass.) and junior stroke Casey Winter (Malvern, Pa.), took sixth out of seven schools in its heat on Saturday with a time of 7:26.231. The Bobcats out-raced Marist (7:31.695) and finished just behind MIT (7:26.045). San Diego won the heat in 7:14.097.

In Sunday's final the women's 1V finished sixth out of seven boats with a time of 7:13.403. The Bobcats out-raced Seattle University (7:15.374) and finished just behind Marist (7:12.074). Old Dominion won the race in 7:00.093. 

The women's second varsity eight placed eighth in its heat with a time of 7:12.945. Led by junior coxswain Isabella Sobolewski (Washington, D.C.) and sophomore stroke Genesis Bussey (Bronx, N.Y.) out-raced Portland in the final, taking seventh out of eight crews with a time of 7:26.372. UC San Diego won in 7:16.052.

The men's second varsity eight placed fourth in its heat with a time of 6:43.340, just behind third-place Marietta (6:41.794). Led by junior coxswain Aidan Braithwaite (Milton, Mass.) and senior stroke Xavier Fallone (Niskayuna, N.Y.), the Bobcats placed third out of four boats in the final in 6:51.676, out-racing Colorado in the process.

Bates sent a total of six crews to San Diego for the weekend, with both the women and men entering third varsity eight boats as well. Led by sophomore coxswain Celia Tolan (New York City) and junior stroke Nicholas Van Ingen (Darien, Conn.), the men's third varsity eight placed third in its race in 7:06.489, behind Marist and UC San Diego. Sophomore coxswain Olivia Seline (Delaware, Ohio) and first-year stroke Miryam Keller (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) led the Bates women's 3V to seventh in the open eight heat in 7:36.901 and seventh the final in 7:55.302. 

The Bates women are back in action next Saturday when they take on the Boston University Lightweights while the men square off against Boston College.

Bates WV8 lineup: Bow: Eliana Weissmann; 2: Olivia Szachta; 3: Ollie Young; 4: Maeve Mikulski; 5: Sophia Marota; 6: Molly Connors; 7: Lillian Kinder; Stroke: Casey Winter; c: Lucy Del Col

Bates W2V8 lineup: Bow: Darya Lee; 2: Hannah Burdick; 3: Livia Bernhardt; 4: Katarina Dickson; 5: Mary Trafton; 6: Hope Stamp; 7: Eloise Botka; Stroke: Genesis Bussey; c: Isabella Sobolewski

Bates W3V8 lineup: Bow: Claire Scott; 2: Emily Everett; 3: Beatrice Johnston; 4: Abigail Somosky; 5: Kathryn Richards; 6: Margaret Horvat; 7: Lydia Barker; Stroke: Miryam Keller; c: Olivia Seline

Bates MV8 lineup: Bow: Thomas Monahan; 2: Jasper Tucker; 3: Charlie Berman; 4: Isaac Levinger; 5: Timothy Bates; 6: Steven Sparks; 7: Robert Sobolewski; Stroke: Espen Wheeler; c: Evan Saltman

Bates M2V8 lineup: Bow: Benjamin MacDonald; 2: Colton Sochia; 3: William Corcoran; 4: Jack Fruechte; 5: Alexander Burbelo; 6: William Crate; 7: Sean Christiansen; Stroke: Xavier Fallone; c: Aidan Braithwaite

Bates M3V8 lineup: Bow: Samuel Faasen; 2: Ian Van Loo; 3: Martijn den Boon; 4: Charles Renvyle; 5: Samuel Marchman; 6: Benjamin Auerbach; 7: Riley Young; Stroke: Nicholas Van Ingen; c: Celia Tolan