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Penn rowing put together a strong performance at the Navy Day Regatta on Saturday, winning nine of 13 races and starting out its season in solid fashion.

Credit: Oscar A. Rudenstam

Neither rain, fog nor the crews of the Naval Academy could stop Penn rowing from shining.

The Red and the Blue picked up nine victories in just 13 races, putting together a strong showing at Saturday’s Navy Day Regatta.

Unfavorable weather conditions and temperatures in the 50s did not stop parents and students from coming out to show their support at Boathouse Row, something they would not regret.

The Regatta, held at the Schuylkill River, saw a range of competing crews facing off in a series of head races, including Rutgers, Lehigh, Temple and Drexel. Penn rowing was represented by its men’s heavyweight, men’s lightweight and women’s crews.

According to tradition, it is the oarsmen and oarswomen of Navy that pose the biggest threat to Penn, often topping the Red and Blue.

This year would be different.

The heavyweights, coached by Greg Myhr , led the way and managed to take home the top position in four out of five races.

“It’s about the best we’ve done in the last few years,” Myhr said.

In the varsity eight race, Penn and Navy tied for first, continuing a fierce rivalry.

“We’ve had a very nice history with Navy the last few years,” he said.

Penn rowing is heading for the Head of the Charles and Princeton Chase races later this month, where they will have the opportunity to oar it out against Navy again.

“It’s a rivalry to be continued,” Myhr added.

The men’s lightweights, headed by new head coach Colin Farrell, finished first in the lightweight four and finished second behind Delaware in the lightweight eight race.

“We still have some work to do,” Farrell said, reemphasizing how these races have been an opportunity for training for the upcoming events later this month.

The women’s crew picked up victories in the coxless pair, coxed four and freshmen eight races.

Women’s head coach Mike Lane was especially upbeat over the performance of the freshmen.

“It was their first win as Division I athletes, and that’s going to be something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives,” he said.

Lane also was happy with the depth the women’s crew displayed on Saturday, which he said brings confidence going into the Princeton Chase races in two weeks.

The women struggled in the junior varsity eight race, where they finished sixth.

Lane, much like Farrell, talked of the importance of the Navy Day races as training for upcoming events.

“We learned a couple of valuable lessons,” Lane said.

In the varsity eight race, the women’s top boat finished second.

“It was a hard-fought battle,” said sophomore Ciara Multari, who went on to explain how the results were promising considering how relatively little they had practiced for the event.

“We’ll get them next time.”

Penn rowing’s quest continues next week at the Head of the Charles Regatta, followed by the much-anticipated Princeton Chase event the following week.

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