FAIRFAX STATION, Va. – The No. 12 Navy heavyweight rowing team had a tremendous program-wide effort on Sunday as the Mids' top five boats all won twice over two sessions of racing at the Occoquan Collegiate Invitational. Racing over a 2,000-meter stretch of the Occoquan Reservoir, Navy was a perfect 10-for-10 in action versus a nation-wide field that had five ranked members and two more receiving votes among the nine suiting up on Sunday.
"It was a good day of racing for us," remarked
Rob Friedrich, the Tom & Candy Knudson Director of Navy Rowing. "I was happy to see all of our boats put together two solid races. There is more speed to gain so we will get back to work this week on the Severn."
The first varsity eight crew was fast throughout the day as they opened the competition with an 8.63-second victory over R/V Jacksonville, 5:55.26 to 6:03.89. The Mids shaved nearly 10 seconds off that initial effort in the afternoon grand final that featured the four winners of morning heat races. Navy withstood No. 19 Drexel's best shot to earn the event final by 2.8 seconds, 5:45.51 to 5:48.31. No. 17 Georgetown and No. 22 Holy Cross rounded out the grand finalists with times of 5:50.67 and 6:54.04, respectively.
The second varsity was even more dominant in its morning one-on-one heat versus Jacksonville as Navy rolled to a 19.52-second victory, 6:05.20 to 6:24.72. After a brief break, the grand final for the 2V classification followed a familiar formula as the Mids and Dragons found themselves out front of the four-team field. Tight down the stretch, Navy held on for a 2.0-second victory, 5:51.95 to 5:53.95 over Drexel. Georgetown and Holy Cross once again finished in third and fourth respectively at 6:00.19 and 6:03.63.
The third varsity eight continued the storyline of Navy crews winning in the morning and getting faster in a grand final victory. The Mids' 3V8 started its day in a three-time heat versus the Crusaders and Dolphins and came out on top with a time of 6:08.60 to surpass Holy Cross' 6:13.40 and Jacksonville's 6:43.82. In its second race of the event, Navy cut 2.12 seconds off its original time and won a hard-fought four-way battle by the way of a 6:06.48 result. The Mids bested the Dragons (6:08.09), Hoyas (6:09.82) and the Crusaders (6:10.62) in a contest that saw first through fourth separated by just 4.14 seconds.
The lower boats were in mixed contests in the morning as Navy's fourth and sixth varsity eight crews raced against Drexel's fifth and Holy Cross' fourth in the initial lower boats contest, while Navy's fifth varsity went up against Drexel's fourth and Georgetown's fourth in the second lower boat morning tilt. In both instances the Mids' highest ranked entry was victorious as their 4V won their contest with a time of 6:03.10 as they defeated their Hubbard Hall brethren in the 6V by 9.80 seconds, as they posted a 6:12.90 result. Drexel 5V (6:22.16) and Holy Cross 4V (6:33.32) finished in third and fourth, respectively. In the second lower race, Navy's 5V rolled with a 6:11.74 time that was 8.32 seconds faster than the Drexel 4V entry, who clocked in at 6:20.06. Georgetown 4V was off the pace at 6:31.92.
In the afternoon there were standalone fourth varsity eight and fifth varsity eight finals. Navy's 4V continue its winning ways with a runaway 6:07.40 to 6:17.30 victory over Georgetown, Drexel (6:23.03) and Holy Cross (6:31.96). In the fifth varsity eight final that featured Navy and Drexel's 5V, as well as Navy's 6V, it was a Hubbard Hall showdown as 5V held off the 6V in a fight to the finish by just 0.69 seconds, 6:08.51 to 6:09.20. Drexel's fifth varsity was over 10 seconds back in third place at 6:21.79.
The Mids will get back into Eastern Sprints League action next weekend as they will be travelling to Syracuse, N.Y. to participate in a three-team meet versus the Cornell Big Red and the host Syracuse Orange on Saturday.
Race Results
First Varsity Eight
AM Heat
Navy – 5:55.26
Jacksonville – 6:03.89
PM Grand Final
Navy – 5:45.51
Drexel – 5:48.31
Georgetown – 5:50.67
Holy Cross – 6:54.04
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Second Varsity Eight
AM Heat
Navy – 6:05.20
Jacksonville – 6:24.72
PM Grand Final
Navy – 5:51.95
Drexel – 5:53.95
Georgetown – 6:00.19
Holy Cross – 6:03.63
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Third Varsity Eight
AM Heat
Navy – 6:08.60
Holy Cross – 6:13.40
Jacksonville – 6:43.82
PM Grand Final
Navy – 6:06.48
Drexel – 6:08.09
Georgetown – 6:09.82
Holy Cross – 6:10.62
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Lower Boats (Navy 4V, 5V, 6V)
AM Race 1
Navy 4V – 6:03.10
Navy 6V – 6:12.90
Drexel 5V – 6:22.16
Holy Cross 4V – 6:33.32
AM Race 2
Navy 5V – 6:11.74
Drexel 4V – 6:20.06
Georgetown 4V – 6:31.92
Fourth Varsity Final
Navy – 6:07.40
Georgetown – 6:17.30
Drexel – 6:23.03
Holy Cross – 6:31.96
Fifth Varsity Final
Navy 5V – 6:08.51
Navy 6V – 6:09.20
Drexel 5V – 6:21.79
Boat Lineups
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