Penn lightweight rowing dominates EARC Sprints while women place fifth at Ivy Championship

Penn rowing had a solid weekend, with the men’s lightweight team picking up wins and a consistent showing on the women’s side. 

The women’s team sought to wrap up this Ivy League season with a strong finish on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, N.J. Coming into the tournament, the Red and Blue had been ranked fifth in the Ivy League. Looking to unseat three-time defending champion Princeton, the Quakers attempted to reclaim the Sally P. Shoemaker Trophy. 

Penn’s Varsity Eight had a strong start, keeping up with rivals Harvard and Brown for third place during the beginning of the race. However, as the race progressed, Penn started to lose pace, eventually placing fifth behind the Crimson and Bears, finishing with a time of 6.38.345. 

Penn’s Second Varsity Eight had a similar showing. For most of the race, the Quakers fought with a strong Harvard side for fourth place, but ultimately fell to fifth place behind the Crimson, finishing with a time of 6:41.441. 

Penn’s Varsity Four A team raced alone for the predominant part of the race. Falling behind Brown, Princeton, and Yale. while holding a comfortable lead over Dartmouth, the result for the Quakers was prevalent from the beginning. The Quakers finished with a fourth-place time of 7:49.417. 

Penn’s Varsity Four B again fell behind from the start of the race. Battling the Crimson again for fourth place, the Quakers ultimately fell to Harvard with a final time of 7.53.738. 

Although Penn may not have received the result they wanted, they remained consistent in competition to finish out the season. 

The men’s lightweight team faired a much different fate. The Varsity Eight finished first, with strong showings from the other Varsity Eight boats. 

The day began with Fourth Varsity team races. Starting off slow, the Quakers were never able to catch up with their competition, ending last with a final time of 6.59.067. This time kept the Quakers more than ten seconds behind next-place Cornell. 

The Quaker Third Varsity Eight team fared much better. From the beginning of the race, Columbia, Harvard, and Penn fought for the third-place spot. However, Penn slipped towards the end of the race, finishing in fifth place, ten seconds ahead of Cornell.

The Second Varsity Eight team came away with a near win. Fighting Cornell and Yale for the first part of the race, the Quakers had a promisingly strong start. However, the Red and Blue lost pace near the end, finishing last behind the Big Red and Bulldogs. 

The Penn 150s' Varsity Eight team ended the day on a high note. With a first-place time of 6.34.753, the Quakers commanded a comfortable, two-second-plus finish over second-place Yale. This was a strong turn around for the Red and Blue after a slower qualifying run. 

On the heavyweight men’s side, Penn had very mixed results. 

The second varsity heavyweight had a solid qualifying round. Finishing fourth in their heat, the Quakers showed promise early. However, the Red and Blue ended last in their group, falling six seconds behind George Washington with a time of 6:51.522.  

Penn's heavyweight Varsity Eight, however, finished with a completely opposite result than the second varsity team, allowing for the Quakers to finish the tournament strong. Finishing with a final time of 6:36.480, the Quakers were able to comfortably win their group with a three-second advantage over second-place Wisconsin. 

Overall, Penn rowing put on strong performances as the season wraps up. Although the women’s team did not leave with the result they hoped for, their consistency was a positive indication of their talent and abilities. 

The men’s teams similarly exhibited their immense talent and promise. Their first place finishes are evidence of the depth and strength of their teams. 

The men still have one tournament left: the IRA championships in Sacramento, which will take place in two weeks.