ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The No. 5 Navy lightweight rowing team will continue early-season action this Saturday afternoon with a neutral site duel versus No. 3 Yale. The Eastern Sprints League showdown is scheduled to feature five races beginning with the fifth varsity eights at 4:00 p.m. and culminating at 5:20 p.m. with the first varsity crews battling for the right to take home the Eads Johnson Cup. Additionally, the overall competition between the Mids (0-1) and Bulldogs (0-0) will have the Jon Van Amringe Cup up for grabs. The team points trophy is awarded to the program that earns the greatest overall finish across the five boat classes. 

The entire schedule of racing between the Mids and Bulldogs will go in reverse order. After the fifth varsity boats start the event, 20 minutes later at 4:20 p.m., the fourth varsities will go head-to-head. The third and second varsity eights are next up at 4:40 and 5:00 p.m., respectively before the highlighted Johnson Cup race wraps up the competition at 5:20 p.m. 

Most Recent Navy-Yale Matchup: April 2, 2022 
In a matchup of the top-two teams in the IRA Lightweight Coaches Poll, No. 1 Navy and No. 2 Yale turned in a competitive five-race slate on Saturday, April 2 at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey. With the Eads Johnson Cup and the Jon Van Amringe Team Points Trophy up for grabs, each program went home with a piece of hardware as the Bulldogs won the first varsity race and the Johnson Cup, while the Mids took the Van Amringe trophy with three wins.
 
In the spotlight race of the day with the Johnson Cup on the line, Yale withstood all of Navy's efforts over the first varsity eight contest and won 5:40.5 to 5:44.5. In the team standings for the Van Amringe trophy, the Mids edged the Bulldogs, 3-2, on the strength of victories by their 2V, 3V and 5V crews, respectively.

That tight racing was a precursor to the postseason as Yale and Navy tied atop the Jope Cup team standings at the Eastern Sprints with 32.0 points a piece. Having to use the tie-breaker rule, the Bulldogs went home with the event title as they held off the Mids by 1.735 seconds in the first varsity contest, 5:58.641 to 6:00.376.

What's at Stake
Eads Johnson Cup
Established in 2004 and presented to the winner of the varsity race between Navy and Yale, the trophy is named after Eads Johnson, the captain of the 1934 Yale lightweight rowing team and a 20-year member of the U.S. Navy. In its history, the Bulldogs have earned 13 titles versus four for the Mids. Navy is looking for its first cup win since 2010.

Jon Van Amringe Cup
The Van Amringe Cup is awarded to the team with the highest cumulative finish across all five races. Van Amringe was a Yale lightweight rower, who first served in the U.S. Navy and then coached the Navy lightweights. The trophy was first awarded in 2019.

Last Time Out - March 25 at Princeton
The Navy lightweight rowing team kicked its 2023 campaign off last Saturday with a full slate of racing on the road against Princeton in an Eastern Sprints League matchup. Going head-to-head over a 2,000-meter stretch of Lake Carnegie, the Mids secured a win by its fourth varsity eight, while the host Tigers collected victories by their first, second and third crews. After Navy won the Murtaugh Cup in 2022, Princeton's triumph in the first varsity eight race allowed it re-gain control of the trophy for the next year.
 
Getting on the water in reverse order, the fourth varsity crews raced first on Saturday. Navy was dominant throughout the contest as it sprinted out to a four-plus seat lead over the first 250 meters before completely clearing Princeton by the 500-meter mark. Over the ensuing 1,500 meters the Mids continued pulling away and eventually clocked in 11.8 seconds ahead of the Tigers with a 6:28.3 to 6:40.1 final margin.

With the Murtaugh Cup on the line in the final race of the series, Princeton used a stout initial sprint by its first varsity crew and broke out to a slight three-seat lead by the 500-meter juncture. Advancing up to nearly a full-boat lead by the mid-way point, the Tigers withstood a strong rebuttal by the Mids in the second half of the contest before pulling away during the final push for a 5:55.4 to 6:00.0 final decision.

Spectator Info for Saturday
Racing is best viewed at the finish line area, where there is parking:
Kingston Rd at Shady Brook Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540

Race Schedule
4:00 PM - Fifth Varsity Eight
4:20 PM - Fourth Varsity Eight
4:40 PM - Third Varsity Eight
5:00 PM - Second Varsity Eight
5:20 PM - First Varsity Eight (Johnson Cup)