April 19, 2008

DERBY, Conn. - The Bulldogs won three out of four races at the Gilder Boathouse against opponents Columbia and Penn, but fell in the varsity eight to hand over the Blackwell Cup to the Lions for the first time in sixty-seven years. The race was also the Bulldogs' last home race of the season on the Housatonic River.

The day's racing started with a 10.8 second victory over Penn by Yale's first 2F four of George Moran (stroke), Benjamin Ortiz (three), Simon Warren (two), Patrick Vergara (bow) and Francesca Yi (cox). The second 2F four of William Martin (stroke), Josh Dorsey (three), Kevin Gallagher (three), Joseph Porter (bow) and Emily Flaxman (cox) came in 3.8 seconds after the Penn four. In the 2007 edition of this race, both Yale fours came in ahead of Penn.

The Bulldogs took the next event with a similar margin. The undefeated freshman eight of Spyridon Mastroyannis (stroke), Marcos Carzolio (seven), Duncan Logie (six), Ezra Mitchell (five), Matthew Ramlow (four), Daniel Klassen (three), Nathaniel Reeve (two), Benjamin Grant (bow) and Carolyn Tobkin (cox) came in 10.1 seconds ahead of second-place Columbia and 21.1 seconds ahead of third-place Penn. In last year's freshman race, the Bulldogs finished second to Columbia and ahead of Penn.

Following these two victories, the Yale 2V held off moves by Columbia to take the second varsity race by 8.7 seconds. In third place, and 16.2 seconds after Yale, came the Penn 2V. The boat included Nolan Maher (stroke), Richard Littlehale (seven), David Mcintosh (six), Matthew Barber (five), Sean Riordan (four), Keir Evans (three), Dominique Fenton (two), Antonio Sirianni (bow) and Rebecca Burgoyne-Allen (cox). In 2007, the 2V lost to Penn by 2.2 seconds and beat Columbia by 9.6 seconds.

It seemed like it would be a clean sweep until the Columbia 1V crept back on Yale in the last 250 meters to win the varsity race and Blackwell Cup by 1.2 seconds. The Bulldogs had been leading throughout the race by a few seats. The first varsity boat included Erik Woelber (stroke), Sean Hurley (seven), Andrew Collard (six), Pieter Morgan (five), James Tormey (four), Henry Cole (three), Lucas Spielfogel (two), Jack Vogelsang (bow) and Michael Ciccotti (cox). In 2007, the Bulldogs won the event by 9.1 seconds over Penn and 11.6 seconds over Columbia.

Yale crews will head to New Jersey to face Princeton and Cornell in defense of the Carnegie Cup on Apr. 26. This will be the Bulldogs' last race before Eastern Sprints on May 18.

Results

First Varsity 8:
1. Columbia (5:51.3)
2. Yale (5:52.5)
3. Penn (6:09.1)

Second Varsity 8:
1. Yale (5:58.2)
2. Columbia (6:06.9)
3. Penn (6:14.4)

Freshman 8:
1. Yale (5:47.1)
2. Columbia (5:57.2)
3. Penn (6:08.2)

Second Freshman 4:
1. Yale A (6:40.8)
2. Penn (6:51.6)
3. Yale B (6:55.4)

Report filed by Dominique Fenton '10, Yale Sports Publicity