Crew continues Childs' dream race

George W. Childs is probably smiling in his grave today. One hundred and fifteen years after the Childs Cup began, it is still going strong today. Childs issued a challenge to some schools back in 1879 to race, and today Penn, Princeton and Columbia will continue the tradition. The Penn heavyweight crew team will open its season this afternoon on Lake Carnegie with high goals. Traditionally a powerhouse in the country, the Quakers are confident and ready. "It's a new season, but our kids usually perform pretty well over the years," coach Stan Bergman said. "I expect them to do the same. Since this the first race of the year, we don't have any indication except that we are going to go up there and row hard. We always do that." "We are pretty much as prepared as we can be for our first race," sophomore Gerard Sweeney said. The Quakers are an extremely deep squad and that has made for a tough fight for each spot in the boat. This can only help a seasoned Penn team looking to come home with a championship season. "Competition has been very keen within the team," Bergman said. "We have a lot of depth. This is a really good group." Although a Penn-Princeton competition usually involves nasty looks and crude comments from the crowd, there will be none of that today. Princeton is no more of a rivalry than Nassau Community College for the Red and Blue. And the Quakers are not coming in expecting an easy victory, considering Princeton has already raced twice this year and Penn is coming in cold. "Any time we race anyone, it is a rivalry," Bergman said. "I don't feel that the guys think that Princeton is something different. We just want to win." "Princeton is not usually that strong, but this year they have a really powerful team," Sweeney said. Although Penn admits the more meaningful races are down the road and this weekend's trip to San Diego looms large, today's race will not be taken for granted. If the Quakers want to return to the top of the national ranks, a repeat victory of last year's win over the Tigers and the Lions will be much needed. The Quakers want to win a national championship and believe they can. And Gerard Sweeney will let you know it. "Sure, I think every year we have a good shot of winning it all," Sweeney said.