Lightweights Battle Columbia, Heavyweights Race Past Rutgers

With a cross-tailwind fluttering down the course in Overpeck, New Jersey, the Blue Hens lined up against No. 2 Columbia and the Drexel heavyweights, looking to upset the Lions. Columbia had won their past four races in a row and Delaware, itching to play spoiler, jumped out of the starting blocks. Screaming down the course, Delaware handily defeated Drexel by six seconds while barely falling open water behind Columbia. After a week of intense training following last week’s racing, the Hens were enthused to put together a competitive outing against a top ranked team, all while still being aware of the speed left to gain in the next two weeks before the Dad Vail Regatta.

Alongside a promising Varsity performance, the Second Eight stayed within a length of Drexel to finish third while the Third Eight defeated Drexel by eight seconds to finish second behind the Lions. The Fourth Eight rounded out the day in third. Delaware is seeking to defend its titles in the Lightweight Eight and Four at the Dad Vail, and so the team will move forward towards its championship season.

Racing just south of their Lightweight counterparts, the Heavyweights closed out their regular season with a convincing win over Rutgers University, an Eastern Sprints program. After battling the Scarlet Knights in the opening thousand, the Hens took a commanding move with 900 meters left in the course to crack open the margin and storm away by seven seconds. The Heavyweight Eight now looks to work themselves back into the Grand Finals of the Dad Vail and come away with a medal for the second year in a row.