Courtesy: Princeton Athletic CommunicationsThe highlight of the 2008 heavyweight crew season came in San Diego, where Princeton knocked off a number of national powers to place second in the prestigious Copley Cup competition. After retaining the Logg Cup against Rutgers, the heavyweights return to San Diego during a full weekend of Princeton rowing action, which includes both lightweight programs competing at home.
HEAVYWEIGHT
The ninth-ranked Princeton heavyweights are taking on a full week of rowing to begin April. Because of scheduling issues, the annual Logg Cup competition had to be moved to a midweek showdown on Lake Carnegie. Princeton swept the competition (times unavailable), and will now focus its attention on the Copley Cup in San Diego. Last year, Princeton barely qualified for the grand final, then lost only to national runner-up Washington in the championship race. It was the kind of competition that proved to the Tigers that they could compete on the highest level, and they will hope to repeat that success this weekend.
The second and third varsity crews, as well as the freshman eight, will compete in a home scrimmage against Syracuse.
OPEN
Princeton will head up Rt. 1 to take on both Rutgers and Columbia in New Brunswick this Saturday. The Tigers, ranked seventh nationally in the latest polls, are coming off a weekend split, which included a victory over reigning Ivy League champion Brown, and will try to build on that positive momentum this weekend. Princeton swept this regatta last year, although the Columbia varsity eight pushed Princeton in the featured race. The regatta will begin at 3:50 p.m. with the novice fours, while the varsity eights will square off at 5 p.m.
MEN'S LIGHTWEIGHT
The Murtaugh Cup will be the top regatta in all of men's lightweight rowing this weekend, and it will feature two of the three top-ranked teams in the country. In the first poll of the season, Greg Hughes' Princeton squad earned the top spot, barely ahead of second-place Yale, while Navy was ranked third. The Midshipmen currently hold the Murtaugh Cup, named for previous Princeton lightweight coach Joe Murtaugh, after handing Princeton its only regular-season loss last season. The Tigers will look to build off the season-opening sweep of Georgetown in the Fosburgh Cup last weekend.
While still early in the season, this will be the final home weekend for the Tigers. who will take on two-time national champion Cornell next weekend.
WOMEN'S LIGHTWEIGHT
After a successful first weekend at the Pac-Ten Challenge, the Princeton women's lightweights will make their home debut Saturday against MIT. The Tigers went 2-1 last weekend, losing only a close match against national champion Wisconsin, while topping both Stanford and California. Princeton swept MIT last weekend and will compete in only two races this weekend, including the first varsity competition at 10:20. The full home schedule can be found below.
9:00 Men’s 3V
9:20 Men’s 1F
9:40 Men’s 2V
10:00 Men’s 1V
10:20 Women’s 1V
10:40 Women’s 2V
Just like last week, all home racing will be broadcast free on the Princeton crew team web site, PrincetonCrew.com. Under the "Calendar" section, click on the "Listen Live" link to hear the live races Saturday morning.
