WIRA Championships 2011: RR Picks and Predictions
Following closely on SIRAs, the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association holds its Championship Regatta this weekend at Lake Natoma, CA. Based on the results from 2011, there are some clear front runners on the men's side for WIRAs , as well as some newcomers with a chance to make the Grands in the Varsity 8. The favorites to win this year in the Varsity 8 are the Tritons from UCSD , likely by open water. Zach Johnson's boys have made steady improvements throughout the year (as we've discussed ), and are coming off solid results from both Crew Classic and SIRAs -- they'll be looking to dominate this regatta and cap off a solid season on the West Coast as they prep for IRAs this June. Beyond that, there are a number of teams with the potential to make the Grands this year, all within a second or two of one another. Some squads that could find themselves in the hunt are UCLA, UCI, Orange Coast, UCD, Washington State, and Sacramento State (coached by UW alum Dustin Kra...