Virginia rowing continued its fall season Sunday afternoon at the Princeton Chase in Princeton, N.J. to the tune of great success. Competing in multiple events, the Cavaliers entered five boats in the first round of Open Eight races. There were two in the second round, and three in the Women's Coxed Fours competition — all racing down the three-mile course on Lake Carnegie. Virginia achieved strong results, with two boats finishing inside the top 10.
The First varsity eight secured fifth place out of 68 boats in the Open 8+ competition, finishing in 14 minutes and 12 seconds — which was a mere 23 seconds behind first-place Princeton's 1V8. The Cavaliers' Second varsity eight (2V8) also performed well, landing ninth place and finishing just eight seconds behind their 1V8.
"Placing two crews in the top 10 and eight seconds apart will lead to some good competitive moments in practice," Coach Wesley Ng said. "We gained valuable insights into our strengths and the areas we must address and develop."
Virginia was one of only two teams, alongside Princeton, to place two boats in the top 10, underscoring their position as a powerhouse in collegiate rowing. The Cavaliers' third, fourth and fifth varsity eights placed 37th, 32nd and 48th, respectively.
In the second round of the Open 8+ competition, Virginia reshuffled its lineups, and both crews secured impressive finishes for their second race of the day. The 2V8 came in fifth with a time of 15:47 — 51 seconds behind first-place Rutgers — while the 1V8 placed seventh with a time of 16:04.
The Cavaliers closed out the day with the Women's Coxed Fours event, placing all three of their crews in the top 15 of 44 entries. The 1V4 finished fifth, trailing Princeton, Rutgers, Oklahoma and Harvard. Virginia's 3V4 took ninth place, finishing ahead of all other C-Boats and every team's B-Boat except Princeton and Rutgers. The 2V4 clocked in at 16:21, just 15 seconds behind the 1V4 and 51 seconds behind the top finisher, showing consistent speed across their roster.
With another successful showing this fall against a competitive field, Virginia has gained valuable insights into its strengths, areas for growth and its strongest opponents. While they fell behind some crews they were able to beat at Head of the Charles, the Cavaliers seem to be putting up a strong fight. The fact that Ng has his Virginia squad ready to compete against some of the largest rowing names in the country is promising.
Up next, the Cavaliers will welcome competitors to the Rivanna Reservoir Sunday for the Rivanna Romp to close out their fall season.
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