Penn rowing prepares to add their own chapter to rich history

Being a part of Penn rowing means carrying on a long and rich history. And the current crews are about to contribute another chapter.

This weekend, the Childs and Dodge Cups are on the line for Penn men’s heavyweight and lightweight crews, respectively, with some age-old Ivy rivals standing in the way.

For the heavyweights, the races present a challenge to determine whether they can extend their early-season success, whereas the lightweights are looking to redeem themselves after last weekend’s losses against Cornell and Harvard.

The heavyweights, fresh off a win against Northeastern last weekend which allowed them to retain the Burk Cup, will travel to Princeton on Saturday to row it out against Columbia and Princeton for the Childs Cup.

The race, which dates back to 1879 — one of the oldest intercollegiate cup races in the nation — is one of historic significance.

While both Columbia and Princeton, like all Ivy League crews, are formidable crews not to be underestimated, the hosting Tigers likely represent the greatest threat to the Red and the Blue.

Penn retained an all-time lead in the Childs Cup races for much of the event’s history, but Princeton was able to surpass Penn just a few years ago after a long streak of wins. Last year, Princeton won the cup, and Penn finished second.

This year, heavyweight coach Greg Myhr and his crew want to snap that trend.

“We have a little more confidence this year,” he said.

So far, the heavyweights have showed strength by finishing second at the San Diego Crew Classic against some top-ranked crews, as well as by edging out Northeastern for the Burk Cup.

Myhr is wary of early season success, however. Even if a crew is fast in the beginning, it must make sure to gain speed as the season unfolds to keep up with the fierce competition in the world of intercollegiate rowing.

Last year, despite an early win against Northeastern, Penn was not able to perform as well as the Huskies later on in the season.

“Things are going great, but there’s a whole lot more to get done,” Myhr continued.

For all of his squad’s success so far, Myhr is not losing sight of his ultimate goal.

“Make no mistake — we need to get to the top,” he concluded.

For the lightweights, a different Ivy League cup race awaits on Saturday in the form of the Dodge Cup. It will see Penn take on Yale and Columbia in New York City.

Last weekend, the Red and Blue hosted Cornell and Harvard at home for the Matthews-Leonard Cups.

Penn struggled to overcome its Ivy rivals, and while Cornell and Harvard are recognized as two of the top crews in the country, the losses make this weekend an opportunity for redemption.

But much like last weekend, Saturday’s races will present a major test.

Last year, Penn lost to both Yale and Columbia in the two varsity races — including the cup race, which Yale took home.

In fact, while Penn was a dominant force in the early period of the cup race in the mid-20th century, Yale has dominated in the last several decades.

The Bulldogs have only lost the cup twice since 1979, once to the Quakers and once to the Lions.

Penn hopes to end Yale’s decade-long winning streak on Saturday, but for either Penn or Columbia to do so would be an incredible feat given the track record of the New Haven crew.

One thing is for sure: For any fan of Penn rowing, Saturday’s rowing events are not ones to miss.

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