An emphatic, confident, course-record setting win by the Harvard V8 seemed like a fitting way to end the day at the 2007 EARC Sprints. This one was deeply felt, judging by the crew's reaction on the line and on the dock: no relief, no rubbing it in, just enthusiasm for the win. Harvard, who may have looked a mite tentative or controlled in the AM, let it all hang out from the get-go, dropping would-be challenger Brown in the next lane early, and continually pushing out on an equally competitive Yale crew, leaving Wisco and Princeton to scrap for the bronze, which eventually went to Wisconsin by .09, whew.
From the shore, it seemed much less that a challenge from Brown never materialized, but that Harvard and Yale never gave any challengers so much as an opening; in the rough water through the middle of the course, these two crews were taking swings at each other at top speed, while a length back, Wisconsin and Princeton were doing the same.
Harvard's new course record: 05:27.005. Tailwind or no, this is an impressive result. The Crimson also claimed the Rowe Cup for the 5th time in the last 6 years. The Harvard-Yale tussle this year is intriguing, with the crews meeting for the first time in the Sprints Grand, then twice more down the road (IRA and Harvard/Yale). If Yale's speed at Sprints is an indication of the quality of this crew, the Harvard/Yale 4-miler this year could be one for the ages.
For yet another year, the #1 seed in the lightweight V8 went down to fearsomely fast racing, as Dartmouth, who had shown speed earlier this year, put in a fierce push in the second 1000m to claim their first sprints win since 1994 over Cornell and Princeton, with less than a length separating the medallists. Navy, #1 seed Harvard and Georgetown rounded out the final, which saw all crews finish within 6 seconds. This is a pretty big win for brand-new Dartmouth coach Steve Perry, who's had plenty of success during his days coaching Navy, but probably did not figure to get right back to the middle of the awards dock that quickly; the Dartmouth VL8 was 6th at Sprints just a year ago.
In addition to the Wright Cup for the Sprints title, Dartmouth also took home a brand new trophy being awarded for the first time at Sprints this year, the Michael W. Christman trophy for the Ivy League title. Christman was Harvard class of 1960, three-time Sprints and Henley Champion, in addition to winning the Oxford-Cambridge boatrace.
In a nice gesture of sportsmanship, as the Navy lights were headed onto the awards dock to claim the Jope Cup for lightweight supremacy, many of them stopped to congratulate Perry on his win; many, if not all current Navy lights got their start with Perry in the last few years.
All told, not a great day for #1 seeds once again: Wisco took the Mens JV over Harvard and Cornell, with top-seeded Brown well back. Wisco coach Chris Clark was somewhat late meeting his crew on the awards float; apparently so engrossed in a detective novel, Clark didn't even realize his crew was racing until they were deeply into the race.
Curiously, the Wisco 2V set a new course record, overhauling a course record set in 2001, also by the Wisco 2V, who in turn overhauled a course record set in 1987, again by Wisconsin. After a title drought in the V and JV eights dating back to 2002, Clark mused, "I guess it's course record or bust for us."
Four-seed Navy claimed the lightweight JV, over seeds Cornell and Yale, a welcome win for the Mids, who also claimed the Jope cup on the day. After lots of Harvard on the dock early in the afternoon (the Crimson won the 3V Lights and the 2F Lights), Harvard seemed to stumble as the 1F came 9th and the JV and V each placed 5th.
The afternoon was definitely a Jekyll-Hyde affair for the Brown heavies as well, who did not medal in either the V8 or JV8, but saw their 2nd-seeded Frosh win in an extremely poised row over Harvard and Princeton. Brown frosh coach Luke McGee coached right up until the bitter end: "Work harder you monkeys!" was his exhortation as his crew heaved him into the lake.
With a bevy of west coast crews added to the mix, the IRA F8 once again promises to be a monster event in two weeks' time.
Yale took the FL8 race, winning out in a huge punch-counterpunch affair down the middle of the course with Princeton, with these crews over a length of open water ahead of the field. Navy claimed the bronze. Yale ended up being the only lightweight #1 seed to defend their ranking: Navy took the lightweight 3V, while Harvard took the 2FL.
Winning coxswain quote of the day: "At least the water isn't as cold as it was last year!"
Cox quote II, before the row back to the dock, on swapping seats: "I've never rowed a stroke in my life!"
The sunny weather was definitely welcome at this stage of the season, and, with a ton of great racing at Sprints 2007, here's hoping that a bunch of these crews extend their seasons by a few weeks to the IRA.
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row2k's EARC Sprints coverage is brought to you in part by:
row2k's EARC Sprints coverage is brought to you in part by: