ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The No. 7 Navy lightweight crew team will continue racing for trophies this Saturday morning as the Mids will go head-to-head with the eighth-ranked Columbia Lions at Overpeck Park in Leonia, New Jersey. The three-race slate between the Eastern Sprint League rivals is scheduled to begin at 9:40 a.m. and culminate at 10:20 a.m. with the first varsity eights battling it out for the WIT Cup. 

The entire slate of racing on Saturday between Navy and Columbia will go in reverse order with the third varsity eight contest going off at 9:40 a.m.; additionally, the Mids' 4V8 will be participating in this race. Twenty minutes later at 10 a.m. the respective second varsity eight crews of Midshipmen and Lion rowers will battle before the first varsities will race down a 2,000-meter stretch of water at Overpeck Park for the right to take home the WIT Cup at 10:20 a.m.

Most Recent Navy-Columbia Matchup: April 8, 2023 
Faced with the challenge of wind gusts up to 20 mph and choppy waters over nearly half the 2,000-meter course, the No. 3 Navy lightweight rowing team split its home meet with No. 7 Columbia. Going head-to-head with the Lions over a three-race slate on the Severn River, the Mids dropped the first two contests, but most importantly came away with a first varsity eight victory to retain the Whatever-It-Takes (WIT) Cup over the Lions. 

An extremely close and competitive bout that saw the two rival boats separated by one-to-two seats throughout the first 1,500 meters was turned upside down when Columbia caught a crab down the seawall and lost all of its momentum. Keeping its respective pace, Navy pulled away over the final quarter of the race and won by a 5.0-second margin, 5:55.0 to 6:00.0.

What's at Stake
WIT Cup (Whatever It Takes)
The WIT Cup was put into rotation by Columbia's Class of '98 and was originally awarded to the winner of the varsity eight race featuring Columbia, Navy and Rutgers. The trophy had been out of commission since 2006 when the Scarlet Knights disbanded its lightweight rowing program, but was revived in 2014 with Columbia earning initial possession of it for three consecutive years before Navy got into in the win column in 2017 at home on the Severn River. Since it was put back into rotation, the Lions lead 5-3.

Last Time Out - March 30 vs. Yale
The No. 7 Navy lightweight rowing team had a day for the record books as the Mids' first varsity eight laid it all out on the line and knocked off No. 5 Yale to earn possession of the Eads Johnson Cup for the first time since 2010. Participating in a three-contest slate of neutral site racing at Mercer Lake, the Mids and Bulldogs were competitive throughout the matchup as Yale won the second and third varsity eight races to retain the Jon Van Amringe Team Points Cup.

With the Eads Johnson Cup on the line for the victor of the first varsity eight competition, the Mids fought throughout the 2,000-meter course and bested the Bulldogs down the stretch to earn the 5:48.81 to 5:51.09 decision. The victory allowed Navy to bring the trophy back home to Hubbard Hall for the first time in 14 years.

Race Schedule
9:40 AM - Third Varsity Eight (w/Navy 4V)
10:00 AM - Second Varsity Eight
10:20 AM - First Varsity Eight (WIT Cup)

Spectator Information
Located in Leonia, N.J., Overpeck County Park is an 811-acre county park in Bergen County, New Jersey, with major sections in Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, and Teaneck, surrounding Overpeck Creek, a tributary of the Hackensack River. Spectators can enter the park from the Challenger Road entrance by following directions to the Overpeck County Park Amphitheatre. 

If parking near the team launch site race viewing is best seen from the western shore about a 15' walk from the parking area.

Address: 40 Fort Lee Road, Leonia, N.J. 07065