Despite losing the Eisenburg Cup to Princeton this past weekend in Derby, the women’s crew team remains content with its effort.
In the varsity race, Princeton timed 6:29.8, while Yale came in at 6:31.3.
“As a team, we do not feel as though we’re off-track,” Ivette Delgado ’03 said. “We have been working really hard and expect our hardest competition to come before Sprints.”
Yale’s varsity four (7:32.6) beat Princeton’s varsity four (7:44.9). The Elis also won the second novice eight race 8:10.1 to 8:21.2.
Claire Norsetter ’05 said last Saturday’s race was the team’s best race of the season, in spite of the defeat.
“We are still pretty excited,” she said. “Princeton has a really talented team.”
Next weekend, women’s crew will compete against Radcliffe for the Case Cup in Cambridge, Mass.
“These last three dual races are the toughest ones before Sprints,” Norsetter said. “We are looking to build off this performance, and we’re moving in the right direction.”
Men’s lightweight crew
After losing control of the Dodge Cup to Columbia last weekend for the first time in 10 years, the men’s lightweight crew team bounced back in New Brunswick, N.J., this weekend.
The team’s victory sweep over Dartmouth and Rutgers on the Raritan River leaves the squad confident for upcoming national races, and with the Durand Cup for the ninth straight year.
The Durand Cup race, first held in 1958, was established in honor of Loyal Durand III, a former Yale oarsman and crew coach. The annual race pits Yale against Dartmouth and Rutgers.
Saturday, under perfect weather conditions, Yale won the varsity eight race with a 6:04.9 time over Dartmouth’s 6:07.6. Rutgers came in third at 6:14.3. Yale took the second varsity eight race with a 6:21.3; Dartmouth clocked in almost 10 seconds later at 6:31.8. In the varsity four race, Yale’s 6:53.3 was well-ahead of Dartmouth’s distant 7:08.9. Rutgers did not enter boats in the second varsity eight and varsity four races.
In the frosh/novice eight race, Yale won in 6:13.5, beating Rutgers’ 6:15.3 and Dartmouth’s 6:24.7. Last, Yale (6:42.1) won the second frosh/novice eight race ahead of Rutgers’ 6:44.4. Dartmouth did not enter the second frosh/novice eight race.
Captain Ben Hamilton ’03 said this victory was a good rebound from Yale’s Dodge Cup loss to Columbia April 12.
“It was exciting to win every race from the 2F to the 1V, and it certainly made for an enjoyable ride home,” he said. “The first varsity boat had a great piece all around. We got out of the blocks cleanly, settled down into a good base, and finished strong.”
Next weekend, the team will race nationally ranked No. 1 Harvard and Princeton for the Goldthwait Cup in Derby. Hamilton predicts this race will be good and is hoping for a large student turnout at the home event. The race will take place at the new Gilder Boathouse on the Housatonic River.
“It is going to be a great race, as all three crews are very fast this year,” Hamilton said. “The lightweights would really appreciate [student] support.”
Men’s heavyweight crew
The men’s heavyweight crew team bounced back from its loss to Dartmouth last weekend, beating Columbia and Pennsylvania for the Blackwell Cup Saturday.
Sam Limmer ’03 said the difference between the two races was Yale’s ability to overcome its opponents’ quick start.
“We lost to Dartmouth by a second, and we defeated Columbia and Penn by a second,” Limmer said. “This weekend, we were able to give that extra push at the end, whereas last week, we couldn’t catch up.”
Limmer expects Yale’s next race to be even tougher. This Saturday, the team faces Cornell and higher-ranked Princeton for the Carnegie Cup in Ithaca, N.Y.
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