Princeton captures Childs Cup on Schuylkill River

Hwt. Crew finishes aHwt. Crew finishes aclose second, aheadHwt. Crew finishes aclose second, aheadof Cal and Columbia Although the Penn heavyweight crew team was not able to capture the Childs Cup this weekend on the Schuylkill River, the Quakers are not at all ashamed of their performance. Competing against crews from Columbia, California and Princeton -- the defending Eastern Sprints champion -- Penn placed second to the Tigers in the No. 1 and No. 2 varsity races. In fact, the Tigers were victorious in all six races held Saturday. With a time of 5 minutes, 34.5 seconds, Penn's varsity eight-man boat finished just .4 seconds behind Princeton. Competing in the Childs Cup for the first time ever, the Golden Bears took third place, while the Lions ended up in fourth. Princeton has long been recognized as the No. 1 crew team in the East. By finishing just inches behind Princeton, the Quakers believe that winning the Eastern Sprints this year is a strong possibility. "It was disappointing to lose, but the race was a confidence builder," Penn senior Justin Angle said. In the No. 2 varsity race, Penn and Princeton were the only participants, with the Quakers placing second with a time of 5:51.6. The two boats were neck-and-neck until Penn lost its rowing rhythm, causing it to lose the race at the end. "It was discouraging that we lost, but it shows that we're pretty fast, and we get another chance at them at Sprints," Quakers junior coxswain Rob Blumhof said. The No. 1 freshmen crew also placed second to the Tigers with a time of 5:53.7, while Columbia took third. Penn will have the opportunity to meet all three crews again before the conclusion of the season. The Quakers will first see the Lions again next weekend at the Blackwell Cup. Defeating California at the San Diego Classic and the Childs Cup this year, Penn looks to finish ahead of the Golden Bears' crew yet again at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships in May. And perhaps most importantly, the Quakers will challenge the Tigers twice more this season at the Eastern Sprints and IRA Championships. Penn may not have been successful in winning the Childs Cup this weekend, but the Quakers did succeed in showing the Tigers that they are a team to be reckoned with in the near future.