This Saturday, the Penn heavyweight crew team heads to Orchard Beach in Long Island to compete against Ivy League rivals Columbia and Yale for the annual Blackwell Cup.
"We are looking to keep improving as the year goes along," Penn coach Stan Bergman said.
The competition will feature a talented group of Yale boats and a Columbia squad that is picking up speed.
"Yale has a very talented program. They should push us this weekend," Bergman said.
Ranked No. 11 in the nation, Yale is coming off a frustrating defeat in its season-opener.
Dartmouth took the early lead and held off the late-charging Elis for a 1.1 second victory. Yale was victorious in the day's other races, winning the junior varsity eight, freshman eight and second freshman four.
In addition to Yale, the Red and Blue will trade strokes with Columbia for the second week in a row. The Lions are coming off a disappointing weekend in Princeton, where they were beaten soundly by Penn. The fourth-ranked Tigers took the race while Penn finished second.
However, Bergman explains that the Lions are not to be taken lightly despite Penn's recent victory.
"We never underestimate our opponents," Bergman said. "Columbia is a rising program that is always improving."
It is not just the varsity that will be up for this race, as its outcome will have a significant impact on the remainder of the novice season as well.
"We know that this is a huge weekend for us if we want to establish ourselves in the Ivy League," freshman Jorge Beruff said. "We know we can beat Yale, so the pressure is on us to do it."
Adding to the rich history of the Blackwell Cup, Penn will row this weekend in a venue that is special in and of itself.
Columbia has chosen to host the event in Orchard Beach at the New York Athletic Club where the 1968 Olympic trials were held.
"It should be a great place to compete at," Bergman said.
On waters once graced by some of the greatest rowers in U.S history, Penn will attempt to seize its opportunity to make a statement in the Ancient Eight while continuing to build toward a championship.
"We have a great group of guys that love to compete," Bergman said. "So we'll see what happens."
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