Princeton University
The Content Cup: Brown
Players Mentioned
Heavyweights Honor Seniors With First Perfect Brown Regatta Since 2002
April 30, 2016 | Heavyweight Rowing
The third-ranked Tigers improved to 8-1 on the season and retained the Content Cup for a third straight season with a 4.3-second victory over Brown Saturday morning in the regular season finale for both teams.
"The season has been a cumulative effort, and having solid momentum is a major key to postseason success," said Northrop, one of four seniors in the Princeton varsity eight. "Rowing's a pretty pure sport in that there's no special moves or plays. Our focus has been on generating boat speed, and going 2000 meters really, really fast. I think that we did this really well today. Not just in the 1V, but in all boats - which is both impressive and exciting."
Princeton won all four races against Brown, marking its first perfect regatta against the Bears since 2002. The second varsity improved to 7.1 with a victory by 4.5 seconds, while the third varsity won by just under five seconds. The fourth varsity won by 3.6 seconds.
"Today marked another step in the right direction for the JV," said senior Fred Vystavel, a member of the second varsity. "We have been making some good improvements since our loss to Harvard two weeks ago but we know there is a lot more speed to be gained, especially if we want to be in contention for a top finish at Sprints. We are chuffed with the win against Brown today but come Monday our sights will be firmly set on the Eastern Sprints."
Each of the four boats had at least one senior, each of whom will remember crossing the line first in their final official race on Lake Carnegie. Of course, that will be only one of many memories that rowing for the Princeton heavyweights created over their four years.
"It's been an awesome last four years racing on Carnegie Lake and to end with a win in each boat has certainly made the day that much more special," Vystavel said. "There are many factors that have played a part in the team's consistent improvement, all of which have shaped my experience at Princeton in a profoundly positive way, but it is going to be the team's camaraderie that I shall cherish the most in the future."
"Rowing has been at the core of my Princeton experience," Northrop said. "It's the reason I came to the University and will be something I remember warmly in the years to come. The team has been an incredible conduit for personal growth both on and off the water. To end on a high note is not only sentimentally important but is also telling of how the team strives for excellence at all times."
Of course, this was just the end of the home racing season. Remember those bigger goals left on the horizon?
Well, that horizon is coming closer.
Princeton will now turn its attention to the 2016 Eastern Sprints, which will be held May 15 on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass. While the official seeding won't come out until race week, the Tiger varsity eight will likely by the 2 seed behind top-ranked Yale; the Bulldogs are the reigning Sprints champion and the only team to top Princeton this season.
"The two weeks prior to Sprints allows us to get after it like a dog after the mailman," Northrop said. "We're about to go into the trenches and it should be a tough but rewarding couple of weeks. We have some very obvious goals for the postseason and we will have to put in a good chunk of training in order to achieve these goals. Like Black Friday shopping, everyone wants the same thing, and we're going to have to fight for it."
Varsity Eight
Princeton 5:48.4
Brown 5:52.7
Second Varsity Eight
Princeton 5:56.3
Brown 6:00.8
Third Varsity Eight
Princeton 6:02.0
Brown 6:06.8
Fourth Varsity Eight
Princeton 6:15.8
Brown 6:19.4
1v
Cox Mcfall
8 George
7 Kontinnen
6 Mead
5 Barakso
4 Livingstone
3 Eble
2 Northrop
1 Francis
2v
Cox Barton
8 Goldman
7 Barker
6 Wambersie
5 Chance
4 Vystavel
3 Bernhard
2 De Groot
1 Benstead
3v
Cox Wylie
8 Naylor
7 Toch
6 Elsegood
5 D'Agostino
4 Watt
3 Lord
2 Stein
1 Palmer
4v
Cox Sola
8 Morgan
7 Johnson
6 Guyett
5 Wiggins
4 Doyle
3 Levine
2 Helmers
1 Evans
5v
Cox Noordin
8 Moskovitz
7 Vaughn
6 Michael
5 Ruscus
4 Lindfield Roberts
3 Bao
2 O'Brien
1 Segal