Freshmen Win The Temple Cup

After a strong spring racing season, the Harvard Freshmen traveled to England to race at Henley. Entering the same event as the National Champion Varisty Lightweights, the racing proved to difficult. However, the frosh rose to each challenge and were victorious. Besting Oxford Brookes, Isis and the Yale JV lights on their road to victory. The Freshmen, in true Harvard fashion, came from behind to win the cup against Oxford Brookes, who earlier had defeated the lightweights. The Freshmen should be a strong addition to the returning Varsity squad.

Harvard Leaves Red Top Victorious

After hearing of the lightweight's National Championship victory over a heavily-favored Yale crew, the heavyweights continued the dominance over Yale with a four-boat sweep. In every grueling race, Yale and Harvard fought hard, but eventually Harvard was able to edge ahead and grab victory.

Crimson Finish Second Behind Princeton, Frosh Victorious

In some very fast tailwind conditions, the Harvard 1st Freshmen set the Freshmen course record enroute to their open water victory. The 2nd Freshmen put together a great race as well and came home with shirts to prove it. The Varsity pressed hard throughout their race, but couldn't catch Princeton and finished a close second. The JV and 3V after some lineup switches came through with some strong races when it counted.

Crimson Defends Smith Cup

A strong second 500-meters proved decisive as the Harvard Varsity edged Northeastern for the Charlie Smith Cup Saturday morning on the Charles River. The Crimson came off the line with a three-seat lead, quickly increased it to a half-length, then fended off a strong Northeastern (2-3) charge at 700meters. Harvard followed with a move of its own, and emerged from beneath the Mass. Ave. bridge-the course's halfway point-with a length advantage. Despite calmer waters the rest of the way, neither crew could alter the margin as Harvard completed its row in 5:49.5, ahead of the Huskies' 5:52.3.

Northeastern captured the 2V race with a 6:03.2 to 6:08.1 decision, while Harvard's freshman improved to 7-1 with a three-length win. The Crimson frosh were timed in 5:57.9, followed by NU in 6:09.0.

Harvard Claims Adams Cup

The Harvard Varsity endured a tough challenge from the University of Pennsylvania, but successfully held off the Quakers and Navy to win the Adams Cup Saturday morning on the Charles River.

The race-held in gusty conditions that alternately provided a headwind and a crosswind-quickly evolved into a two-boat contest between the Ivy entries. The host Crimson led throughout and extended its margin to as much as seven seats at 1,000-meters, before the Quakers pressed hard and narrowed the deficit down the stretch. Harvard crossed the finish line in 6:05.9, four seats ahead of Penn's 6:07.5, and several lengths in front of Navy's 6:29.0 clocking.

Penn captured the 2V race by just under a length with its 6:21.5 finish, ahead of the Crimson's 6:24.6. Navy was clocked in 6:33.0. Harvard's freshmen, meanwhile, continued their fine campaign with an open-water victory, recording a time of 6:17.7, followed by Navy (6:31.8) and Pennsylvania (6:32.2).

Crimson Edged By Princeton, Top MIT In The Compton Cup Race

Princeton fought off Harvard in fast racing conditions to reclaim the Compton Cup. Harvard led early, but a strong move from Princeton at the 800m mark put them in front. Princten increased their lead in the 3rd 500, but Harvard closed in the final 500. The Tigers were timed in 5:31.3, with Harvard just six seats behind in 5:33.6. MIT finished third in 6:04.6.

Princeton also was victorious in the 2V race with its 5:45.8 clocking, followed by Harvard (5:49.3) and MIT (6:24.3). Harvard's freshman posted an impressive decision, winning by open water over the Tigers. The Crimson finished in 5:47.0, ahead of Princeton's 5:51.1, and MIT's 6:32.6.

On a windy and choppy Charles, Harvard opened its 2001 campaign with a solid victory over Brown, the early-season top ranked crew in the East. The Crimson grabbed a one-third length lead in the opening 500, and after fending off a Brown charge in the second 500, extended their lead and pulled away in the closing quarter. Harvard covered the course in 6:19.6, 4 seconds ahead.

In other racing, the JV and Frosh lost in tight races. The JV came up a seat short, .5 second behind Brown's 6:31.2. And the Frosh finished a half-length and 2 seconds back, with Brown covering the course in 6:32.3.

You can also find a Boston Globe writeup for this race.

Harvard returns an experienced crew, with five rowers back from last season's varsity that posted a 6-1 dual record and finished fourth at Eastern Sprints. Two senior oarsmen-captain Jason Craw and Sam Brooks-are entering their third spring with the first boat. Craw rowed in the three seat last year after handling the bow in 1999, while Brooks stroked last year's boat after being in the bow during the 1998 season. Also back for the 1V are three juniors who comprise one of the strongest classes to come along in recent times. As sophomores in 2001, Wayne Pommen rowed at bow, Baden Ireland at number two, and Hugo Mallinson at seven. Among those looking to fill in the gaps is senior Luka Djunic, last spring's 2V stroke who rowed with the first boat as a sophomore. Also attempting to move up from the second varsity are fellow seniors Jeremiah Mann (No. 3) and James Delaney (No. 7), and juniors Greg Chiarella (bow) and Artour Samsonov (No. 2). Sophomores in contention for the varsity eight include Justin Bosley (No. 7 in last year's 1st freshman boat), Mike Blomquist (No. 5), and Caleb Beyers (bow). Coxswain duties could go to either senior Jon Cahill, who steered the JV's in 2001, or sophomore Emily Murphy, who comes over from the women's program. The fall results could be a good omen as Harvard's varsity won October's Stonehurst Regatta over Brown, Dartmouth, and Yale, then placed fifth in the Championship Level finals (third among colleges) at the Head of the Charles; the frosh, meanwhile, captured the Youth Eight at the Head. The Crimson looks to avenge its lone dual loss of 2001 when it hosts Brown, the defending Sprints Champion, on April 14. The 136th Harvard-Yale Regatta, America's oldest intercollegiate sporting event, takes place on June 3.