BELLEVILLE---- - The Women's rowing team kicked off its fall season amid flawless racing conditions at Belleville Lake. Clear blue skies and calm waters provided the backdrop for the team's first official scrimmage of the year.

Michigan State and Eastern Michigan joined the Wolverines yesterday morning for what became a horserace between two perennial Big Ten powers. Exact results were not kept, but the four boats from Michigan and Michigan State rotated through first place finishes for the first five races with Eastern Michigan finishing in fifth and sixth place through each race. The Spartans took the five races in the second flight.

Unlike more structured regattas, the teams competed in two flights of five races apiece. Each race was approximately 1,200 meters, instead of the traditional 2,000-meter competition. The first flight included two eights from each team, while the second flight included a Spartan eight and a Michigan four and eight.

Rowers essentially treat the fall season as training for the championships in the spring season. The focus for the fall is centered on strength, conditioning and synchronization.

"We are on a very strict training schedule," said junior coxswain Laura Dunn. "It has us peaking at a certain time and we're not looking to peak at multiple times."

The Wolverines will next host Ohio State on Sunday, Oct. 7.