Kansas celebrates senior day at Sunflower Showdown

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – In its last home regatta of the year, Kansas rowing honored it 12 seniors at the annual Dillons Sunflower Showdown against Kansas State  on Saturday at Wyandotte County Lake in Kansas City, Kansas.

Kansas State swept the Jayhawks in five races to win its second-straight Showdown with a final score of 22-0.

KU’s First Varsity Eight closed out the Showdown with the closest race of the day. Wave the Wheat crossed the finish line less than a second behind the Wildcats with a final time of 6:24.15.

Kansas’ Ad Astra had a second-place finish for the Second Varsity Eight with a time of 6:34.12. Kansas State topped the Jayhawks’ Third and Fourth Varsity Eights. KU’s Fourth Varsity Eight, Quiet Beast, placed second with a time of 7:06.2, while the Third Varsity Eight followed behind with a time of 7:09.33.

The Oread, Kansas’ First Varsity Four, crossed the finish line in 7:25.18, just behind K-State. The Jayhawks’ Second and Third Varsity Fours finished in 7:27.01 and 7:43.14, respectively.

QUOTES
Head coach Carrie Cook-Callen
On KU’s overall performance:
“We had so many outcomes at play today. We had a few boats that probably raced their most complete race of the season. We had a few boats that broke right off the start in the first 500-meters and that made it hard for them to come back against a good Kansas State crew this year.”

On looking forward to the Big 12 Championship:
“We have two weeks to find our best in preparation for the Big 12 Championship. I know this group will remember today, but will also work for what we have to do two weeks down the line. I’m looking forward to seeing this group’s best, top to bottom, in two weeks.”

UP NEXT 
For the fifth-consecutive year, Kansas will travel to Oak Ridge, Tennessee for the Big 12 Championship on Saturday, May 18.

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