REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. – In the late afternoon waters on the Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon on Friday, the Stanford men’s varsity eight boats opened the season by racing faster than they have in years.
In what can only be described as an encouraging start to the season, Stanford beat Drexel in first varsity and second varsity matchups in impressive times.
The Cardinal 1V8 covered the 2,000-meter course in 5:35.1. The last time the Cardinal rowed faster was in the fall of 2017, with a time of 5:31.23 at the Head of the Lake in Washington.
The Cardinal 2V8 won in 5:43.5. A Stanford 2V8 has not raced as fast since at least 2014.
Stanford’s 1V8 featured five returnees from the boat that placed 12th at the IRA National Championships, though only coxswain Fleur Blasé was in the same seat. Tom Corbett (No. 5 last year) opened at stroke and James Pullinger (No. 4 in 2024) was in the bow. James Fetter was at No. 6, after rowing in the bow last year, and Luke Smith rowed at No. 5 after being seated at No. 6 last year.
The 1V8 also included four newcomers: freshman Elliott Donovan-Davies in the No. 7 seat, freshman Gabriel George at No. 2, graduate transfer Adrien Richez at No. 3 and graduate transfer Max Shakespeare at No. 4.
Donovan-Davies is from Wales and George, a 2024 world under-19 champion in the eights, is from New York City. Richez rowed at the Naval Academy last year and Shakespeare at Harvard.
The 2V8 consisted entirely of freshmen and sophomores. Five freshmen in the 2V8 made their collegiate debuts -- coxswain Gabrielle Zammit, stroke Leopold Hainlein, No. 5 Maxim Ericson, No. 3 Charlie Vachris, and bow Philip Wolfensberger. No. 7 Arthur Scott, No. 6 Sandro Scalfi, No. 4 Hylton Harvey, and No. 2 Wilder Fulford were the sophomores.
In all, 14 of the 18 individuals in the two boats were underclassmen, and 10 were from the British Isles.
The three-day seven-team Redwood Shores Invitational begins in earnest Saturday and Stanford takes on Oregon State at 9 and 9:40 a.m., and Santa Clara at 2:30 and 3:10 p.m.
Stanford concludes the weekend on Sunday at 9:20 at 10 a.m. against University of San Diego.
Stanford vs. Drexel
At Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon
1V8+ -- 1, Stanford 5:35.1; 2, Drexel 5:52.9.
2V8+ -- 1, Stanford 5:43.5; 2, Drexel 6:01.6.
Stanford lineups vs. Drexel
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: Maxim Ericson
4: Hylton Harvey
3: Charlie Vachris
2: Wilder Fulford
1: Philip Wolfensberger
Remaining regatta schedule
Saturday
9 a.m. – 1V8: Oregon State vs. Stanford
9:10 a.m. – 1V8: Drexel vs. Cal
9:20 a.m. – 1V8: Santa Clara vs. San Diego
9:30 a.m. – UC San Diego 1V8 vs. Cal 3V8
9:40 a.m. -- 2V8: Stanford vs. Oregon State
9:50 a.m. -- 2V8: Cal vs. Drexel
10 a.m. – 2V8: San Diego vs. Santa Clara
10:10 a.m. – Cal 4V8 vs. UC San Diego 2V8
10:20 a.m. – 3V8: Oregon State vs. Santa Clara
10:30 a.m. – UC San Diego 3V8 vs. Cal 5V8
10:40 a.m.-2:20 p.m. – Break
2:20 p.m. – 1V8: Cal vs. Oregon State
2:30 p.m. – 1V8: Stanford vs. Santa Clara
2:40 p.m. – 1V8: Drexel vs. UC San Diego
2:50 p.m. -- San Diego 1V8 vs. Cal 4V8
3 p.m. – 2V8: Oregon State vs. Cal
3:10 p.m. – 2V8: Santa Clara vs. Stanford
3:20 p.m. – 3V8: UC San Diego vs. Drexel
3:30 p.m. – Cal 5V8 vs. San Diego 2V8
3:40 p.m. – 3V8: Cal vs. Oregon State
3:50 p.m. – 3V8: Santa Clara vs. UC San Diego.
Sunday
9 a.m. – 1V8: Drexel vs. Oregon State
9:10 a.m. – 1V8: Cal vs. UC San Diego
9:20 a.m. – 1V8: San Diego vs. Stanford
9:30 p.m. – Cal 3V8 vs. Santa Clara 1V8
9:40 a.m. – 2V8: Oregon State vs. Drexel
9:50 p.m. – 2V8: UC San Diego vs. Cal
10 a.m. – 2V8: Stanford vs. San Diego
10:10 a.m. – Cal 4V8 vs. Santa Clara 2V8
10:20 a.m. – 3V8: Oregon State vs. UC San Diego
10:30 a.m.: Cal 5V8 vs. Santa Clara 3V8