EARLYSVILLE, Va. – The No. 1 Navy lightweight crew team continued its string of strong non-conference performances on Saturday with a three-race sweep of the University of Virginia. Competing in V8, 2V8 and 3V8 action on the Rivanna Reservoir, the Mids (4-1) earned a trio of victories, including two dominant margins of more than 20 seconds over the Cavaliers, who compete in the heavyweight division of the of American Collegiate Rowing Association.
"The three eights that raced today were able to put together some solid racing against a very aggressive UVA squad," remarked head coach
Shawn Bagnall. "The Second Varsity likely put together the most complete race of the day, from start to the finish flag. The Third Varsity race saw some young guys on our team race well to earn the win. However, the day was capped by the First Varsity that had to withstand a withering attack from the UVA 1V all the way down the course. We know there is no substitute for that type of racing experience."
The action on Saturday began with the third varsity eight event with Virginia's novice eight competing as a guest. Navy's 3V had little trouble with the two host crews as the Mids broke away from the pack with a convincing start. The high stroking Navy boat cleared both Virginia entries within a minute of racing and had a three-plus length advantage by the 1,000-meter mark. Continuing to control the pace, the Mids completed the wire-to-wire win with a time of 6:17 versus a 6:39 mark for the Cavaliers' 3V and a 6:50 for their N8.
Next up was a head-to-head race between the second varsity crews. Virginia got off the starting line well and held a minimal lead over Navy during the early stages of the race. That advantage didn't last for long as Navy jumped ahead within the first 500 meters of the start. The streaking Mids quickly pushed pass the Cavaliers seat-by-seat and was completely cleared by the midway mark. Accelerating away, Navy eventually clocked in with a 20-second victory, 6:08 to 6:28.
A competitive first varsity eight race closed out the day. Navy's top boat got off to a strong start and gained clear water between itself and Virginia within the first 750 meters. After that initial break, the Cavaliers found its pace and stayed with the Mids during the middle portion of the race. Still ahead of Virginia with 500 meters to go, Navy turned in a crisp sprint to the end and ended up winning by nine seconds, 6:02 to 6:11.
"It has been awesome to forge a competitive friendship with the UVA program over the past few years," said Bagnall in closing. "We're excited for what both of these teams are capable of in the upcoming championship season. Our gratitude and thanks to UVA for the hospitality, and for both our sports medicine trainers keeping us healthy and on track."
Navy will now turn its attention to postseason action and the IRA National Championship that is scheduled for May 28-29 in West Windsor, N.J.
Race Results
First Varsity Eight
Navy - 6:02
Virginia - 6:11
Second Varsity Eight
Navy - 6:08
Virginia - 6:28
Third Varsity Eight
Navy - 6:17
Virginia 3V - 6:39
Virginia Novice 8 - 6:50
Boat Lineups
