Close Wins Define Strong Weekend

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. – Trailing by two seats mid-race, the Stanford second varsity eight rallied to a 1.9-second victory over Syracuse on Sunday to close out a strong weekend for Cardinal men’s rowing against three top-10 teams.

Minutes earlier, the Stanford 1V8+ boat beat Syracuse in another dramatic finish, by 1.4 seconds, while breaking a school record on its home course of Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon. 

The pinnacle was a victory over No. 3 Brown in a 1V8+ matchup Saturday morning, winning in 6:03.4-6:08.0. 

Stanford split against Brown and lost twice against No. 7 Yale on Saturday, before winning with both boats on Sunday against No. 9 Syracuse.

Stanford's time of 5:34.6 in the 1V8+ race against Syracuse was the fastest of the season, improving upon the 5:35.1 from the season opener on February 28 against Drexel.

Overall, the Stanford 1V8+ is 7-2 this season and the Cardinal 2V8+ is 6-3.

This was Stanford’s first victory over Brown since the 2021 IRA Championships semifinals. Last year, the Stanford 1V8+ lost by eight seconds to Brown at the IRA Sarasota Invitational.

Against Yale on Saturday, the Stanford 1V8+ lost by 1.6 seconds. A year ago, Stanford’s 1V8+ faced the Elis twice and lost both by more than that margin.

Last year, Stanford was winless against Syracuse in a combined four races between the 1V8+ and 2V8+ boats. The margin in each loss was at least six seconds. On Sunday, the Cardinal changed the narrative, winning close races each time.

As it showed this weekend, clearly this is an improved and dangerous Stanford team.

Redwood Shores Challenge
At Belmont Channel/Redwood Shores Lagoon

Sunday’s Results

No. 8 Stanford vs. No. 9 Syracuse
1V8+ -- 1, Stanford 5:34.6; 2, Syracuse 5:36.0.
2V8+ -- 1, Stanford 5:44.7; 2, Syracuse 5:46.6.

Saturday’s Results

No. 8 Stanford vs. No. 3 Brown
1V8+ -- 1, Stanford 6:03.4; 2, Brown 6:08.0.
2V8+ -- 1, Brown 6:11.5; 2, Stanford 6:15.2.

No. 8 Stanford vs. No. 7 Yale
1V8+ -- 1, Yale 6:00.4; 2, Stanford 6:02.0.
2V8+ -- 1, Yale 6:08.4; 2, Stanford 6:19.1.

Sunday's Stanford lineups
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: Gabrielle Zammit
8: Arthur Scott
7: Hylton Harvey
6: Charlie Vachris
5: Sandro Scalfi
4: Maxim Ericson
3: Theo Herzog
2: Callen Berwick
1: Leopold Hainlein

Saturday’s Stanford lineups
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 Blase 
8: Leopold Hainlein 
7: Arthur Scott 
6: Sandro Scalfi 
5: Charlie Vachris 
4: Hylton Harvey 
3: Maxim Ericson 
2: Theo Herzog 
1: Callen Berwick