April 6, 2002
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Day one of the San Diego Crew Classic proved historic for the Stanford University men's team. The Cardinal Varsity beat Yale University for the first time in Stanford Crew history. All Stanford Men 8+'s advanced to the Grand Finals.
The first day of the San Diego Crew Classic has proven to be a good one for the Cardinal. The Varsity, Junior Varsity and Freshmen 8+'s all advanced to their Grand Finals. It is the first time that the Cardinal has accomplished such a feat. "We believe that we can continue this trend." noted junior Chris Jones. "Tomorrow, we will have another chance to race some of the top crews in America. We eagerly await our next challenges."
The race between the Yale and Stanford varsities was a highly competitive race. The Elis jumped out to a quick lead in the first half of the race but the Cardinal moved in a determined and aggressive manner. "I asked for more halfway through the race but everything was just really dialed in," noted senior coxswain Simona Chin. "We felt our fitness and spirit were going to get us by Yale." Tomorrow, the Stanford Cardinal will race out of Lane 3 in the Grand Final of the Copley Cup. The Cardinal last appeared in the final in 1988.
In other races, the Junior Varsity and Freshmen 8+'s showed grit and determination. The Freshmen won their heat and the Junior Varsity placed third to earn their respective appearances in the Final. The Frosh 8+'s top finish in the 8+ was the first time in Stanford Crew history that a boat finished first in a heat to qualify for the final.
Coach Craig Amerkhanian stated: "I am pleased with the performances from the crews. We have made great strides with our commitment and attitude. It is great for the guys to state their intentions. This is just the first phase."
The Cardinal will next race at the Crew Classic at 11:10 AM in the Collegiate Novice Final. For more complete coverage, races can be followed at www.jamcotimes.com.
San Diego Crew Classic
Saturday, April 6
Varsity Eight - Copley Cup Heat B: Washington 6:02.30, Stanford 6:04.78, Yale 6:06.29, Purdue 6:18.44.
Junior Varsity Eight - Men's JV Heat A: California A 6:06.28, Yale 6:11.73, Stanford 6:26.34, UC Davis A 6:40.13, UCLA 6:49.58, San Diego State 6:57.30, UC San Diego 7:03.91.
Freshman Eight - Men's Collegiate Novice Heat A: Stanford 6:23.50, George Washington 6:29.44, UCLA 6:40.15, Saint Mary's 6:50.18, San Diego State 6:52.47, Loyola Marymount 6:58.77, USC 7:16.23.