REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. – The Stanford men’s rowing program earned a split of its races at the Cal/Stanford Invitational on Saturday, but it’s progress is even more telling than those results.
In a first varsity eight matchup against Washington in the morning, No. 11 Stanford held its own against the nation’s top-ranked team down the 2,000-meter Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon course before Washington earned a three-second victory.
Stanford, with freshman Elliott Donovan-Davies and sophomore Tom Corbett as the stern pair, finished in 5:38.5 to the Huskies’ 5:35.4 on a pristine morning on the Peninsula.
Washington, therefore, retained possession of the Andrea and Everett Peter Paup Cup, the trophy awarded to the 1V8 winner of their annual matchup. The trophy is named for former UW and Stanford coxswain Everett "Pete" Paup, a U.S. Marine veteran who finished second in the coxed pair at the 1956 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Paup supported both programs during his lifetime and passed away in December, 2024.
Last year, Washington’s 1V8 beat Stanford by 10.4 seconds when they met as part of the IRA Sarasota Invitational at Nathan Benderson Park in Florida. The difference in the 2V8 matchup was more than 14 seconds.
On Saturday, the Cardinal 2V8, with freshman Leopold Hainlein at stroke, achieved its best time of the season, a 5:43.1 while trailing Washington’s 5:36.8. Stanford’s time is believed to be a school 2V8 record for its home course.
Stanford raced in the afternoon against No. 17 Wisconsin and won the 1V8 and 2V8 races by five seconds each. Including the Washington matchups, every Stanford boat finished under 5:45.
The Cal/Stanford Invitational also includes Cal, Oregon State, Santa Clara, UC San Diego. Though Stanford is done for the weekend, the regatta continues Sunday from 9-10:10 a.m.
The Cardinal 1V8 and 2V8 boats each are 5-1 this season. Next for Stanford are home matchups against No. 5 Yale, No. 7 Syracuse, and No. 9 Brown on April 12-13 at Redwood Shores.
Stanford vs. Washington
At Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon
1V8+ -- 1, Washington 5:35.4; 2, Stanford 5:38.5
2V8+ -- 1, Washington 5:36.8; 2, Stanford 5:43.1
Stanford lineups vs. Washington
1V8
C: Fleur Blasé
8: Tom Corbett
7: Elliott Donovan-Davies
6: James Fetter
5: Luke Smith
4: Max Shakespeare
3: Adrien Richez
2: Gabriel George
1: James Pullinger
2V8
C: Gabrielle Zammit
8: Leopold Hainlein
7: Arthur Scott
6: Sandro Scalfi
5: Charlie Vachris
4: Hylton Harvey
3: Maxim Ericson
2: Theo Herzog
1: Callen Berwick
Stanford vs. Wisconsin
At Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon
1V8+ -- 1, Stanford 5:38.2; 2, Wisconsin 5:43.3
2V8+ -- 1, Stanford 5:44.8; 2, Wisconsin 5:50.4
Stanford lineups vs. Wisconsin
1V8
C: Kannan Alford
8: Tom Corbett
7: Elliott Donovan-Davies
6: James Fetter
5: Luke Smith
4: Max Shakespeare
3: Adrien Richez
2: Gabriel George
1: James Pullinger
2V8
C: Fleur Blasé
8: Leopold Hainlein
7: Arthur Scott
6: Sandro Scalfi
5: Charlie Vachris
4: Hylton Harvey
3: Maxim Ericson
2: Theo Herzog
1: Callen Berwick