PRINCETON, N.J. – The Navy lightweight rowing team got the chance to gauge its speed against a host of Eastern Sprints League opponents on Sunday with a day filled of head-style racing at the 2023 Princeton Chase. Racing on a three-mile stretch of Lake Carnegie, the Mids had crews entered in three events and came away with four top-10 results, led by a fourth-place effort from its top entry in the Men’s Open Fours contest.
Navy’s day started with its top-two varsity crew racing in a field of 15 in the Men’s Lightweight Eights event. Competing against boats from four league institutions: Cornell, Georgetown, Penn and Princeton, Navy’s first varsity posted a time of 13:21.604 that placed them sixth overall, just over 2.4 seconds out of the top-five. The Mids’ held off the Penn Quakers’ first varsity by 4.096 seconds. Navy’s second varsity completed the course with a 14:20.138 time that ranked 13th.
Coming back two hours later, both of the varsity crews suited up in the Men’s Open Eights – Round Two contest. Racing against both lightweight and heavyweight crews, the Mids’ first varsity posted the fifth-fastest time of 13:39.345. The Mids’ second varsity mirrored their earlier 13th-place result in the “Round Two” portion of the day courtesy of a 14:54.206 time.
The program’s third action of the day came in the Men’s Open Fours event. Showcasing its depth in four-man boats against lightweight and heavyweight squads, Navy’s A crew was edged off the podium in a fight for third place by Cornell’s LWT B crew by just 0.183 seconds, 14:25.493 to 14:25.676. Navy’s second boat was fast as well and posted a final time of 14:41.744 that ranked eighth overall in the field of 27. The Mids entered C and D boats in this contest and the pair finished 16th and 19th overall with respective 15:17.140 and 15:33.519 efforts.
Sunday marked the final official fall competition for the Navy Lightweights as the program will suit up next Saturday with a series of scrimmages at the UVA Fall Classic in Charlottesville, Va.
Race Results
Men’s Lightweight Eights (15 in field)
1. Cornell A – 13:00.339
2. Princeton A – 13:06.033
5. Cornell B – 13:19.192
6. Navy A – 13:21.604
7. Penn A – 13:25.700
13. Navy B – 14:20.138
Men’s Open Eights – Round 2 (14 in field)
1. Wisconsin HWT A – 12:55.351
2. Princeton HWT A – 13:13.847
4. Cornell LWT B – 13:28.911
5. Navy LWT A – 13:39.345
12. Georgetown LWT A – 14:23.239
13. Navy LWT B – 14:54.206
Men’s Open Fours (27 in field)
1. Princeton HWT A – 13:57.394
2. Cornell LWT A – 14:13.560
3. Cornell LWT B – 14:25.493
4. Navy LWT A – 14:25.676
5. Penn LWT A – 14:26.679
7. Princeton HWT B – 14:35.472
8. Navy LWT B – 14:41.744
16. Navy LWT C – 15:17.140
19. Navy LWT D – 15:33.519
Source: NAVY