Courtesy: Princeton Athletic CommunicationsAfter edging out Yale for the final spot in the Copley Cup grand final, the ninth-ranked Princeton heavyweights didn't have enough to challenge for the prestigious title Sunday morning in San Diego. The Tigers placed sixth in the grand final, while California edged Washington for the title.
In the second semifinal heat during Saturday's opening day of the San Diego Crew Classic, Princeton needed a top-three finish in a field that included Stanford, California, Yale and Michigan. Both Stanford and California raced away from the field to claim the top two spots, leaving Princeton, Yale and Michigan to battle for the final spot. Princeton took it in 6:01.62, while Yale moved to the 'B' final in 6:03.16. Michigan wasn't far behind the Bulldogs in 6:03.91.
The Tigers barely qualified for the 2008 grand final, but they rallied in the grand final for a dramatic second-place finish. With another strong field, Princeton was unable to post another major charge to finish in the top three spots. California won the title in 5:51.8, while Washington placed second in 5:52.61. Harvard, Stanford and Brown took the next three spots, while Princeton rounded out the field in 6:07.07.
Princeton will return home next weekend to take on historic rivals Columbia and Penn during the Childs Cup regatta; the Childs Cup is the longest-running collegiate regatta in the nation.
