ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The No. 7 Navy lightweight rowing team will round out its regular season on the road on Saturday with an Eastern Sprints League matchup versus No. 2 Penn on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. Two of the top contenders for hardware at next month's Eastern Sprints Championship, the Mids (2-3) and Quakers (4-2) will go head-to-head over a four-race slate on Saturday morning starting at 9:00 a.m. Spectators along the 2,000-meter course on the Schuylkill River will get the chance to see Navy and Penn battle it out for the Callow Cup in the first varsity eight competition and the 1919 Trophy for overall team success. 

The schedule of racing on Saturday is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. with a fourth varsity eight race with 5Vs competing as guest crews. 20 minutes later at 9:20 a.m., the third varsity eight crews from the respective programs will go head-to-head with the second varsity eights following behind at 9:40 a.m. The spotlight will turn to the first varsity eights at the top of the hour at 10:00 a.m. as the winner of the Callow Cup will be decided.

Most Recent Navy-Penn Matchup: April 29, 2023 in Annapolis
In the regular season finale of 2023 for Navy, the Mids were challenged throughout their three-race series against the Penn Quakers on April 29 at home. In a matchup on the Severn River between the No. 6 Mids and No. 7 Quakers, the road squad earned victories in the final two races and came away with the Callow Cup and 1919 Team Points Trophy.

With the Callow Cup on the line for the first varsity eight and the 1919 Team Points Trophy lying in the balance as the meet was tied 1-1, the spectators along the Severn were treated to an ultra-competitive final race of Saturday's series. The top crews were in stroke throughout most of the 2,000 meters before Penn slowly pulled away at the end to secure the victory by 1.8 seconds, 5:44.5 to 5:46.3.

What's at Stake
Callow Cup
Put into rotation beginning in 1955, the trophy has been given to the winner of the varsity race between Navy and Penn every year except 1973, 2020 and 2021. The trophy is named after Russell "Rusty" Callow, who coached at both Penn and Navy and retired in 1959 after being associated with rowing for more than 50 years. All-time, Navy holds a 34-32 advantage.

1919 Trophy
Originally presented at the first-ever meeting between the Mids and Quakers, the trophy now serves as the team points prize for best combined results in the annual meet.

Last Time Out - April 20 vs. Harvard and April 21 vs. Georgetown
The No. 5 Navy lightweight crew team had an action-packed weekend of home racing as it welcomed the nation's top-ranked team, the Harvard Crimson for a three-race competition on the Severn River on Saturday before going one-on-one with No. 6 Georgetown on Sunday. Racing for the right to take home the Haines Trophy for a victory in the first varsity event and the Col. Michael Paulovich (USMC, ret.) Team Points Trophy for overall program success, the Crimson swept the action over the Mids to kick off the weekend before the hosts re-grouped on Sunday and took two of three races against the Hoyas, though Georgetown won the headlining first varsity Forster Cup race.

Battled for between the first varsity crews from Navy and Harvard since 1964, the Crimson made sure that they'd be taking home both the Haines and Paulovich Trophies on Saturday with a 9.6-second margin of victory, 5:41.0 to 5:50.6.

In Sunday's meet versus Georgetown, Navy took aim for the clean sweep in the first varsity eight contest with the J.J. Forster Cup up for grabs. The Mids came out of the gates fast and led early over the Hoyas. Heading down the course on the Severn, a game Georgetown squad continued to stay in stroke with the Mids and eventually pushed ahead of the hosts near the mid-way mark of the 2,000-meter race and took off down the backstretch for a 3.3-second victory, 5:42.3 to 5:45.6.

Race Schedule
9:00 AM - Fourth/Fifth Varsity Eight
9:20 AM - Third Varsity Eight
9:40 AM - Second Varsity Eight
10:00 AM - First Varsity Eight (Callow Cup)

Spectator Viewing
Address for the Saint Joseph's Boathouse (to get you towards the grandstands on the 2k course on the Schuylkill River):
2200 Kelly Dr.
Philadelphia, PA 19121

Note: There is a running race on Kelly Drive Saturday morning. Kelly Drive may also be closed to car traffic, so spectators may end up having to park near the St. Joes Boathouse, and watch from there (1k mark), or walk from there to the grandstands.