The Washington men's rowing team opens the competitive spring season this weekend when the Huskies compete Friday and Saturday at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla.
On Friday, Washington will face Harvard in a dual regatta for the Bolles Cup, competing in four race categories (first, second, third and fourth varsity eights). The following day, those same for crews will race in the Sarasota Invitational – with the Benderson Cup on the line – vs. Brown, Harvard, Yale and Northeastern.
All five teams were ranked in the top-10 in the initial IRCA/IRA Collegiate Poll: No. 1 Washington, No. 3 Harvard, No. 5 Yale, No. 9 Brown and No. 10 Northeastern.
Washington participated in this same event the last two seasons, marking the team's first two visits to Nathan Benderson Park, the United States' top rowing venue. The races in which UW is participating are part of a larger regatta this weekend at Benderson Park, which also includes the FIRA Championships and Sarasota 2K college women's event.
UW Race Schedule (UPDATED ON MAR. 26, 4:00 P.M.)
Friday, March 28 – Washington vs. Harvard
3:40 p.m. ET/12:40 p.m. PT – Fourth Varsity Eights
4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT – Third Varsity Eights
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT – Second Varsity Eights
6:20 p.m. ET/3:20 p.m. PT –Varsity Eights
Saturday, March 30 – UW, Harvard, Yale, Brown, Northeastern
10:40 a.m. ET/7:40 a.m. PT – Fourth and Fifth Varsity Eights
10:50 a.m. ET/7:50 a.m. PT – Third Varsity Eights
11:40 a.m. ET/8:40 a.m. PT – Second Varsity Eights
12:10 p.m. ET/9:40 a.m. PT –Varsity Eights
The Bolles Cup, which goes to the winner of the UW-Harvard dual, is named in honor of UW oarsman and longtime Harvard rowing coach and athletic director Tom Bolles, who rowed in the Huskies' 1926 IRA Championship crew and was the freshman coach at UW who helped coach "The Boys in the Boat" Husky crew that won the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics. He left shortly after those Games to become the head coach at Harvard, and eventually served as the athletic director in Cambridge from 1951 until his retirement in 1970.
On Saturday, a weighted points system in the first, second and third varsity eights will determine the winner of the Nathan Benderson Cup. The winning crew in the V8+ race will receive 18 points, with three points fewer to each place after (18-15-12-9-6-3). The 2V8+ winner will get 12 points with each place after getting two fewer (12-10-8-6-4-2), while the 3V8+ victor will be awarded 6 points (6-5-4-3-2-1).
Following their trip to Sarasota, the UW oarsmen return to the road the following Saturday, April 5, when the Huskies take on Stanford, for the Paup Cup, at Redwood Shores, Calif.
