Women Rowers to Compete in Big 12 Duels Regatta

April 04, 2018

By Phil Walzer

Old Dominion University's rowing team will host the Big 12 Duels regatta on the Lafayette River in Norfolk on Saturday. It will be the largest regatta ODU has ever held.

Due to incoming inclement weather, the schedule has been adjusted, but the regatta will go on as planned. All races will conclude before 11:00 a.m.

Old Dominion's varsity eight will compete against Oklahoma 7:10 a.m.; their varsity four will race Oklahoma at 7:50. The Monarchs varsity eight will face Texas at 9:20 a.m., and the varsity four will race Texas at 10:00 a.m.

Shuttles will leave from Old Dominion's campus throughout the morning. Viewing sites include the Granby Street Bridge and Mayflower Road in Colonial Place.

Dan Garbutt, who is in his eighth year as head coach of ODU's women rowers, said: "Hosting a proper regatta with a race course has been a dream of mine since 2010. Part of the mission has been to grow rowing as a sport in our area as well as educate the University on the capabilities of this program and its potential."

Old Dominion, which had a rowing club for decades, started a team in 2008. ODU and the other three schools in the regatta compete in the Big 12 Conference.

In its last outing, on March 24, ODU's team won all four races against George Mason and one against George Washington. "The team has come a long way since September, and I'm eager to see what else they can do," Garbutt said. "They have a great attitude and have been working well together."

Co-captain Taylor Phy said, "Of all the qualities a teammate could have, I think a good work ethic is most important. Someone who wants to win and doesn't have an excuse for why they can't."

For more information about the Big 12 Duels regatta, go to www.odusports.com and click on the link to the rowing team.

Read more about ODU's rowers in Monarch Extra at www.odu.edu/monarchmag