Courtesy: Princeton Athletic CommunicationsAll four Princeton crews will compete this weekend, including three teams at Lake Carnegie. While the battle for the historic Childs Cup could be the highlight event of the home weekend, the showdown of the weekend will happen in Ithaca between the three-time national champion and the current No. 1 team in the country.
The home racing will begin at 8:40 a.m. Saturday as the open women take on Bucknell, Cornell and Harvard for the Class of 1975 Cup. The Princeton open women are 3-1 this season and have moved to No. 7 in the national rankings following last weekend's sweep of Rutgers and Columbia. The Tigers’ only loss came in the season opener against the fourth-ranked Michigan Wolverines, but they did pick up a win over 2008 Eastern champion Brown during that regatta, A meeting with defending national champion Yale looms, so Lori Dauphiny's team will be looking to pick up added momentum this weekend.
Princeton topped Harvard by 6.1 seconds for The Class of 1975 Cup last year, and if the rankings hold, those two teams should battle once again this morning. The Crimson are the only other team in the field in the national rankings (No. 10). Harvard did take the 2V race last season and could make a national statement with a victory today.
At 10:40 a.m., the second-ranked Princeton women’s lightweights will take the water against 2007 IRA national champion Bucknell. Princeton trails only reigning national champion Wisconsin in the national rankings, while the Bison come in ranked sixth nationally. Starting today, Princeton can solidify its position in the polls as it begins a stretch of opponents ranked third, fourth, fifth and sixth. Today’s regatta will also be the final home one for the Tiger lightweights. Head coach Paul Rassam has preached patient development all season, and that progress will be measured over these next three weeks.
At 11:20, the most historic collegiate rowing title will be up for grabs; the Childs Cup has been up for grabs between Princeton, Columbia and Penn since 1879, with Princeton winning each time since 1993. The eighth-ranked Tigers should get a strong test from the 10th-ranked Columbia Lions, while Penn would likely jump into the national Top 20 with an upset win. Princeton edged Columbia by one second in a thriller last season, and the winner this season will likely become the third Ivy team in the national rankings, behind both Brown and Harvard.
The No. 1 Princeton men’s lightweights will take on two-time reigning national champion Cornell for the Platt Cup at Cayuga Inlet Saturday morning. While Cornell edged Princeton for an Eastern title last year and followed it up with a national championship, Princeton is the team looking to retain the Platt Cup. Head coach Greg Hughes' team won the trophy in a home regatta last weekend, but it knows the challenge will be greater as it takes to the road. The Tiger lightweights have won eight straight regular-season races, dating back to last season.
Once again, fans can listen online to Princeton's home races live; to do so, go to www.princetoncrew.com and click on the "Listen Live" button under the racing calendar.
