REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – The Washington men's rowing team earned the Schoch Cup with a win in the varsity eight and won four of five races overall Saturday at the 112th Washington-California Dual Regatta.
 
The Huskies' top crew handed California its first loss since the 2021 IRA National Championships, which UW won, finishing the race with a course-record time of 5:24.0. The Golden Bears had been undefeated and won the national title the last two seasons.
 
"The level that Cal has been rowing the last few years made us evaluate what we were doing and made us get better," said UW head coach Michael Callahan. "There was great effort across all of our boats. The team has been really committed this year and it showed on the race course today."
 
With freshman coxswain Nikita Jacobs making his debut in the varsity shell, the Huskies came off the starting dock trailing the Bears in the early-going. Cal took as much as a four-seat lead in the first 500 meters, but UW did not let the defending champions get away. 
 
In the second quarter of the race, the Huskies cut the lead and, as the crews passed the halfway mark, it was all even. The Huskies made their move just after 1,000 meters and held off the Bears the rest of the way. UW's course-record time of 5:24.0 was 3.7 seconds and a bit of open water ahead of California (5:27.7).
 
The Huskies earned the Delos "Dutch" Schoch Cup for the 77th time in the 112 years of the Dual.
 
"The Dual is a tremendous annual tradition for both teams," Callahan noted. "It's a race that we are absolutely going to continue even though the two schools are headed to different conferences next season. Both UW and Cal are firmly committed to continuing this cherished event."
 
The Huskies also won the second and third varsity eight, and the varsity four race; while California took home the freshman eights crown.
 
In the 2V8+ race, the Bears also had the early lead, but the Huskies caught the Bears in the third 500 and rowed to victory with a time of 5:30.5. Cal finished in 5:33.9, as both teams posted impressively fast times for a second eights race.
 
Washington's third varsity eight crew, which has spent more time racing this season than any other group in the shell house, remained unbeaten. The UW's third crew won its race with a time of 5:39.2, while Cal finished in 5:45.5.
 
The Huskies' varsity four led its race for, essentially, all 2,000 meters and won the most decisive victory of the day on the men's side. UW finished in 6:22.9, while Cal's final time in the four was 6:34.7.
 
In the first men's race of the morning, the Cal freshman eight earned a win, leading throughout the 2,000 meters. The Berkeley freshman won with a time of 5:42.9, while UW finished in 5:46.9. 
 
Next up, in two weeks, is the annual Windermere Cup & Opening Day Regatta, when men's and women's crews from Italy and the University of Wisconsin will race the Huskies on Montlake Cut in one of the world's great annual rowing events.
 
"We're looking forward to getting back to Seattle and packing the Cut for Windermere Cup," Callahan concluded. 
 
WASHINGTON LINEUPS
 
Varsity Eight
Shell: Brett Reisinger '98
Cox: Nikita Jacobs
Stroke: Max Heid
7: Archie Drummond
6: Jonathan Wang-Norderud
5: Giuseppe Bellomo
4: Sam Ford
3: Cameron Tasker
2: Harry Fitzpatrick
Bow: Marius Bjørn-Hansen Ahlsand
 
Second Varsity Eight
Shell: ShoedaWg
Cox: Kieran Joyce
Stroke: Darcy McCluskey
7: Ethan Blight
6: Marc Tennesen
5: Povilas Juskevicius
4: Ben Shortt
3: Lyle Donovan
2: Ryan Smith
Bow: Blake Vogel
 
Third Varsity Eight
Shell: John Nordstrom
Cox: Casey Neumann
Stroke: Gus Altucher
7: Blake Bradshaw
6: Quinn Hall
5: Parker Raines
4: Louis Gallia IV
3: Luke Henry 
2: Ewan Morrow
Bow: Giulio Acernese
 
Varsity Four
Shell: Lou Gellermann '58
Stroke: Connor Shoup
3: Finn Griskauskas
2.: Ryan Martin
Bow: Luke Collins
Cox: Maggie Gibbons
 
Freshman Eight
Shell: Grand Challenger
Cox: Chas Knittel
Stroke: Hector Guimet
7: Billy Osborne
6: Klas Ole Lass
5: Rory McDonnell
4: Matteo Belgeri
3: Carter Yagle
2: Ryan O'Connor
Bow: Dimitri Chamitoff