REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. – Stanford boats closed out the Redwood Shores Invitational with undefeated records Sunday.
The first and second varsity eights combined for an 8-0 weekend on the 2,000-meter Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon course. On a windy Sunday morning, the Cardinal 1V8 beat University of San Diego and the Cardinal 2V8 beat UC San Diego.
With gusts of 25 miles per hour, even setting the point at the starting line was an ordeal. In the brief seconds between set and the release, the Stanford 2V8 was blown off point and coxswain Gabrielle Zammit had to correct course in the first strokes.
Still, the Stanford boats won handily. The 1V8, coxed by Fleur Blasé, clocked 6:04.5 to USD’s 6:30.3. The Cardinal 2V8 was timed in 6:09.6 to UCSD’s 6:41.9.
Throughout the three-day regatta, Stanford swept Drexel, Oregon State, Santa Clara, and the San Diego schools.
Seven spots remained unchanged in the 1V8 lineup through all four races: stroke Tom Corbett, No. 7 Elliott Donovan-Davies, No. 6 James Fetter, No. 5 Luke Smith, No. 4 Max Shakespeare, No. 3 Adrien Richez, and No. 2 Gabriel George. Of those, four are newcomers and Corbett, Fetter, and Smith are the veterans.
In the 2V8, sophomore Schuyler Audley-Williams made his season debut, rowing in the No. 2 seat.
The conditions changed wildly from Friday, which was pristine, to a wind-blown Sunday. But in four races, the Stanford 1V8 had an average time of 5:54.5 and the 2V8 averaged 6:03.1.
In the unofficial 1V8 weekend standings, Stanford (4-0) and Cal (3-0) went undefeated, followed by UCSD (1-2), USD (1-2), Drexel (1-3), Oregon State (0-3), and Santa Clara (0-3). The win-loss totals are not even because some 1V8s also went against 3V8 or 4V8 boats.
Among 2V8 boats, the order went Stanford (4-0), Cal (3-0), Drexel (2-2), UCSD (1-2), Oregon State (0-3), and Santa Clara (0-3).
The two fastest times of the weekend were Stanford’s 5:35.1 (1V8) and 5:43.5 (2V8) on Friday against Drexel. However, the conditions on Friday were ideal, making for especially fast racing. Those were the only Friday races.
Stanford next competes April 5 when the Cardinal takes on Washington and Wisconsin at Redwood Shores. The 1V8 race against Washington is the annual contest for the Andrea and Everett Peter Paup Cup.
Stanford vs. University of San Diego/UC San Diego
At Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon
1V8+ -- 1, Stanford 6:04.5; 2, USD 6:30.3.
2V8+ -- 1, Stanford 6:09.6; 2, UCSD 6:41.9.
Stanford lineups vs. USD/UCSD
1V8
C: Fleur Blase
8: Tom Corbett
7: Elliott Donovan-Davies
6: James Fetter
5: Luke Smith
4: Max Shakespeare
3: Adrien Richez
2: Gabriel George
1: Philip Wolfensberger
2V8
C: Gabrielle Zammit
8: Leopold Hainlein
7: Arthur Scott
6: Sandro Scalfi
5: Maxim Ericson
4: Hylton Harvey
3: Wilder Fulford
2: Schuyler Audley-Williams
1: James Pullinger