Virginia Crew: State Championship on Occoquan River

For the third consecutive year, Madison High School's women's first and second eight took the state championship Saturday at the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Championship (VASRA).

Full Virginia Scholastic Rowing Championships Results

In the boat's final race of the day, the Warhawk women's second eight swept the competition with a time of 5:38:50.

In the women's first eight final, Madison came out on top again with a time of 5:16 — a full seven seconds faster than second-place finisher NCS (5:23.10).

Since 1979, VASRA has sponsored championships for boats from across Virginia and The District. Today, it's the largest Virginia rowing event of the year.

Forty-nine schools from Virginia and Washington, DC competed in the 2013 event, rowing in more than 60 races throughout the course of the day.

"We had some excellent races today and there were some very close races," VASRA President John White told Patch as he stood watching the finals on the Occoquan.

Madison has clinched the women's first and second eight titles each year since 2011.

"I think that today was a big testament to how hard the kids have been working all season and I think we've been very focused on rowing our style of race and not getting spun up in some other race strategies out there," Madison coach Paul Allbright said.

Madison had a number of other top finishes as well: The men's first eight rowed to a second place finish (4:39.60) in the championship, just about five seconds behind winner St. Alban's  (4:34.70).

In the men's second eight, Madison placed third with a time of 5:05.83.

The women's junior eight also rowed to a fifth place finish.