As April turns to May here at Princeton, most students look forward to the end of classes, a chance to relax and spend the day lounging outside or catching up on some reading. With summer just around the corner, the month of May is an easy time for the average Princetonian. Not so for the members of the men's crew team.
The turn of the calendar signifies the turn from regular season to crunch time. It means that a single loss could signal the end of the season, and all the training of the past year could be in vain.
To be more precise, May is door-die time.
Both men's teams — the heavyweights and the lightweights — are coming off losses last weekend. While these losses were on the road against tough opponents, they also came against crews that the Tigers must defeat if they hope to succeed in the season-ending championship regattas.
For both teams, the first major regatta is the Eastern Sprints, to be held May 11. This pits the toughest crews from the Eastern region against each other, and as many of the nation's best crews are found in the Ivy League, this is one of the year's toughest and most balanced races. Ivy rivals as well as other strong programs including the University of Wisconsin and Georgetown are the Tigers' toughest challengers.
Storied history
Princeton has enjoyed great success in the past at Eastern Sprints. The heavyweights have claimed Sprints championship cups in 1995, 1997 and 1999. The lightweights, meanwhile, have enjoyed even greater success at this race. The program has claimed 12 championships beginning in 1948, with the most recent win coming in 1999.
This year, however, both Tiger crews will need to pull major upsets to bring another Eastern Sprints championship home to Princeton. Heavyweight losses to Cornell, Harvard and Wisconsin do not bode well for the Tigers' chances, nor do lightweight losses to Harvard, Yale and Georgetown.
After Eastern Sprints, the Tiger crews prepare for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships (May 29-31), which hosts all of the nation's top crews. Last year's heavyweight champion and the favorite to repeat is the UC-Berkeley. The Golden Bears have already defeated Princeton once this season. On the lightweight side, Yale is the defending national champion, but is coming off a loss at home to Harvard in Harvard-Yale-Princeton, which were last weekend at Yale. Princeton's first varsity eight placed third in this race.
Tiger crews have also enjoyed past success at the IRA Championships. The heavyweights claimed the national championship three times — in 1985, 1996 and 1998. The lightweights, meanwhile, can boast of six national championship victories from 1986 through 1998.
This year, as in the Eastern Sprints, the crews will need to shock the rowing world if they wish to add another championship to the Princeton resume. A more realistic goal — and the stated objective for both teams — is to advance to the grand final of the IRA Championships and thus guarantee a finish as one of the nation's top six crews.
However, in one 2000 meter race anything is possible, and in approximately six minutes the Tigers could avenge every loss this season with a victory in Eastern Sprints, or even better in the IRA Championships. Princeton thus has every reason to focus and double its efforts over the next couple of weeks in an attempt to make a splash in these major races.
However, before the heavyweights can turn their attention to Eastern Sprints, Brown comes to Princeton this Saturday looking to emulate Harvard and Cornell by handing Princeton its third straight loss.
"The last couple of weekends we've had trouble with a base rhythm and rowing together," senior captain John Cranston said.
Last year, the Tigers defeated the Bears here on Lake Carnegie, and Princeton will look to repeat that effort this weekend.
"What we're looking to do is get a good race under our belts before Eastern Sprints," Cranston said.
The lightweights do not race this weekend.
Read More
Preview: No. 3 men’s lacrosse plays No. 5 Syracuse in NCAA quarterfinals
Hayk YengibaryanShould the Tigers beat the Orange, they will advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2022 as they look to win their first national championship since 2001.
Should the Tigers beat the Orange, they will advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2022 as they look to win their first national championship since 2001.
Six for six: men’s and women’s track and field both complete triple crown
Luke StocklessMen’s and women’s track and field each won the Ivy League title this past weekend, capping off a dominant season in which both teams won the triple crown — a feat not seen in 14 years.
Men’s and women’s track and field each won the Ivy League title this past weekend, capping off a dominant season in which both teams won the triple crown — a feat not seen in 14 years.
Nation’s No. 2 miler Mena Scatchard ’25 to transfer to Stanford for graduate year
Luke StocklessThe Tigers’ most decorated distance runner ever has decided to use her final year of eligibility at Stanford after graduating from Princeton this May.
The Tigers’ most decorated distance runner ever has decided to use her final year of eligibility at Stanford after graduating from Princeton this May.