WORCESTER, Mass. – For the first time in over 50 years, the No. 1 Cornell lightweight men's rowing team has won back-to-back Jope Cups and consecutive Ivy League Championships, as the Big Red edged conference foe Columbia in the varsity eight, and medaled in all five races, in a dominant performance today at the 2015 EARC Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass. Cornell also won the Joseph Wright Trophy for the second year in a row by taking first overall among all EARC varsity eight boats.
"Our outstanding regular season set the stage for great Eastern Sprints outcomes," says
Chris Kerber, the Henry E. Bartels '48 Head Coach of Men's Lightweight Rowing. "This group of exceptional athletes showed they can produce a second undefeated first varsity eight season and defend the Jope Cup team points trophy. It was a great day for our athletes and our young coaching staff."
The Jope Cup is awarded to the lightweight team that scores the highest total points in the varsity, second varsity and freshmen eight races at Sprints. The Big Red has now won the cup six times, but had not won it two years in a row since 1963/1964, the first two years the trophy was ever awarded. In addition to the gold in the varsity eight, Cornell also earned significant points with a silver medal in the second varsity eight and a gold medal in the third varsity eight, which replaced the freshmen eight this season.
By besting all Ivy League schools in the varsity eight, Cornell won consecutive Ivy League championships for the first time since winning four straight titles from 1962 to 1965. It is the 10th title in program history.
Cornell has also earned 10 Wright Trophies, but has not been a repeat winner since the Big Red's incredible four-year run from 1962-65. The Big Red's first Wright Trophy, in 1949, was awarded prior to the formation of the Ivy League.
It was a solid day all around for the lightweights as the fourth varsity eight won the gold medal, while the fifth & sixth varsity eight earned the silver medal.
Cornell will have nearly two weeks to prepare to defend its national championship when it takes part in the 113th IRA Regatta, which runs from Friday, May 29 to Sunday, May 31 on Mercer Lake.
Varsity Lightweight Eight| VL8 GF | | Order | Entry | Result | | 1 | CORNELL | 5:40.683 | | 2 | COLUMBIA | 5:41.635 | | 3 | PRINCETON | 5:44.573 | | 4 | YALE | 5:46.323 | | 5 | HARVARD | 5:47.108 | | 6 | MIT | 5:51.248 |
|
Second Varsity Lightweight Eight| 2VL8 GF | | Order | Entry | Result | | 1 | HARVARD | 5:54.609 | | 2 | CORNELL | 5:56.217 | | 3 | PRINCETON | 5:57.430 | | 4 | COLUMBIA | 5:58.253 | | 5 | YALE | 5:59.927 | | 6 | NAVY | 6:05.052 |
|
Third Varsity Lightweight Eight| 3VL8 GF | | Order | Entry | Result | | 1 | CORNELL | 5:52.694 | | 2 | PRINCETON | 5:53.461 | | 3 | NAVY | 5:56.961 | | 4 | YALE | 5:57.090 | | 5 | HARVARD | 6:03.421 | | 6 | PENNSYLVANIA | 6:05.669 |
|
Fourth Varsity Lightweight Eight| 4VL8 GF | | Order | Entry | Result | | 1 | CORNELL | 6:02.927 | | 2 | NAVY | 6:04.255 | | 3 | HARVARD | 6:11.429 | | 4 | PRINCETON | 6:20.601 | | 5 | DARTMOUTH | 6:27.919 | | 6 | PENNSYLVANIA | 6:35.484 |
|
Fifth & Sixth Varsity Lightweight Eight| 5-6VL8 GF | | Order | Entry | Result | | 1 | NAVY | 6:04.143 | | 2 | CORNELL | 6:06.309 | | 3 | PRINCETON | 6:17.277 | | 4 | HARVARD | 6:21.735 | | 5 | PRINCETON 6V | 6:33.825 |
|
