MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State women’s rowing team will make the short trip down I-70 for one of its most anticipated races of the season as the team looks to reclaim the Sunflower Showdown Cup at the Dillons Sunflower Showdown against in-state rival Kansas.

The race, which was originally scheduled for Saturday in Kansas City, will now begin at 5:45 p.m., on Friday in Lawrence, Kansas, at Burcham Park.

“I think this year we will come in more aware that if we do not perform well, Kansas will beat us,” head coach Patrick Sweeney said. “Last year, we came into the race flat. We were looking beyond to the Big 12 Championship and it showed in the results. It is always tight racing. We cannot be complacent. This season, we are getting quicker week-to-week, so if we continue that we will be ready for Friday’s races and ready for the Big 12 Championship.”

K-State has been extremely successful against the Jayhawks, winning five of the last seven head-to-head matchups between the two programs. The competition also serves as the Wildcats’ final race before the Big 12 Championship regatta on May 13-14 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

With the potential for poor conditions still looming, Sweeney believes his team is ready to handle the challenges that inclement weather and wind might bring.

“It is an outdoor sport and you have to be prepared to change things,” Sweeney added. “Part of the maturity is being able to handle the changes. You cannot control many things in rowing. What you can control is your emotions and managing stress. It is a great learning process.”

The Wildcats will also look to carry its momentum from the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship Regatta (SIRAs) into Friday’s event. During the mid-April regatta, held on Melton Hill Lake, K-State saw all four of its boats earn gold medals. The team’s performance marks the fourth-straight season that it has had all of its boats medal and the first since the 2014 season that all of its boats won gold medals.

The race is free to the public and can be viewed from the Kansas Boathouse in Burcham Park (200 Indiana Street, Lawrence, Kansas).

For the latest on K-State women’s rowing, follow @kstatesports and @KStateROW on Twitter using the hashtag #KStateROW, on the team’s Facebook page or on Snapchat at @kstaterow