SPRING ‘24 COACHES REPORT – LIGHTS
TRIUMPHS AND TENACITY
A Stellar Year for Stanford Lights– By Associate Head Coach, Lizzy Houston
What a fantastic year we've had! I feel incredibly lucky to coach such an amazing group of young women who are committed to excellence both on and off the water. I couldn't be prouder, and I'm excited to keep building the program together.
I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our seniors. Their leadership and determination over the years has created a strong foundation for the future of our program. Their impact will be felt for years to come, and they will be greatly missed!
We kicked off the season on a high note, securing a first–place victory in the 8+ at the San Diego Crew Classic and a commendable 4th place for the 4+, just behind Texas, Cal, and Washington. I'm always excited by our team's ability to compete with such formidable openweight programs. Next, we faced Princeton, a challenge we were both ready for and eager to tackle. The 4+ delivered an outstanding performance, clinching a sizable win. The 2x just missed the top spot by a slim margin of under two seconds. While the 8+ ultimately fell short that weekend, we were optimistic about their potential to close that gap by the time we met again in June.
In the weekends following SDCC and Princeton, we continued to have some fantastic racing with our 8+, 4+, and 2x sweeping the competition! First, we headed to chilly Madison, Wisconsin, for our dual meet with the University of Wisconsin. Despite temperatures dropping to the low 30s (definitely a change from our temperate Palo Alto) and strong winds forcing a change in our racing location, our crews showed resilience and adaptability, ultimately emerging victorious.
The following weekend, we journeyed north to Sacramento for the WIRA Championships. There, we secured the efficiency trophy, thanks to outstanding performances from all our crews. They demonstrated great composure and grit, resulting in some truly impressive racing. Before heading to NJ, we had our final race against Boston University. It was a wonderful experience hosting them for the first time at Redwood Shores. We secured a solid victory in the 8+, boosting our ranking from 4th to 3rd place. Unfortunately, our 4+ and 2x teams didn't clinch a win that weekend, but they put up a great fight and highlighted areas we needed to focus on in the weeks leading up to the IRAs. Their admirable performances set the stage for our push towards medal contention.
Our performance at the IRAs was the result of the team's relentless hard work and dedication throughout the season. With a track record of excellent racing, I had full confidence in each crew's ability to shine, and we set our sights on the podium. This year was particularly thrilling for our 4+ and 2x, as they competed for a spot in grand finals.
Despite a last–minute lineup change, our 2x secured a spot in the grand final after some very, very tight racing and produced an impressive finish in 4th place. Our 4+ dominated their heat with the fastest time and brought home the Championship Title for the first time since 2021. The 8+ had a close race with Radcliffe and Princeton throughout the weekend. They finished 3rd in their race for lanes but gave it their all in the grand final, overtaking Radcliffe, earning a silver medal and finishing just under 2 seconds behind Princeton for the Commissioners Cup. Overall, the team came in second by a single point, marking our best team finish in the last 5 years. We're incredibly proud of everyone's efforts and achievements and hungry for what’s in store.
