The third-ranked Wisconsin men’s crew team defended its Cochrane and Jablonic Cups this weekend, winning both events on Madison’s Lake Mendota.
The Saturday Cochrane victory came over No. 8 Dartmouth and M.I.T. and marked the second year in a row that the Badgers won the Cochrane Cup.
The schools were forced to row on UW’s east course because of the morning’s east winds. Flat water and temperatures near 50 degrees welcomed the rowers at the Burrows Park start line. The second varsity race had ideal conditions, but wind direction changed to a head wind between the second varsity-eight and varsity-eight races, slowing the school’s top boats.
In the top race, Wisconsin paced to a 6:01.48, beating Dartmouth by nearly five seconds. The Big Green finished the 2,000-meter course in 6:06.31. M.I.T. was third in 6:55.94.
“Dartmouth was quick off the line,” said head coach Chris Clark. “From my perspective, Dartmouth led for the first 400 meters. At about 500 meters, we started to pull away slowly. Around 1,000 meters were able to execute a powerful move and take open water. With approximately 500 meters left, we were up not quite two lengths and held that difference the rest of the way.”
In the second varsity-eight race, Wisconsin also took top honors with a 6:04.35. Wisconsin third varsity-eight was second in 6:06.83, followed by Dartmouth’s second varsity (6:17.02) and Wisconsin’s fourth varsity-eight (6:24.75).
UW won its eighth-consecutive Jablonic Cup when it defeated No. 17 Boston University and M.I.T. on Lake Mendota Sunday morning.
Wisconsin stroked to a 6:11.9, while BU finished in 6:29.9. Former UW men’s coach Randy Jablonic, after whom the trophy is named, was in attendance for the event.
“Both crews were fairly close for the first 500 meters,” Clark said. “For us, since the conditions included a stiff headwind we rowed at a slower 35 strokes per minute. BU, a smaller and quicker crew, rowed at a 37. During the middle 1,000 meters, the head wind took its toll on BU. Our crew, bigger and stronger, had an advantage as we were able to move away in the middle 1,000 meters.”
Wisconsin boats took the top three places in the second varsity-eight, with its second varsity boat finishing the 2,000-meter course in 6:21.1. The UW third and fourth boats finished in 6:29.6 and 6:36.8, respectively, to complete the top three spots. BU’s second varsity was fourth in 6:44.9.
The Badger frosh also won, putting over 14 seconds on third-place BU. Wisconsin’s second frosh finished second. The UW took the race in 6:36.0, with the second frosh second in 6:50.2. BU raced to a 6:50.5.
Wisconsin next races Sunday, May 11, when it will attempt to defend its Eastern Sprints varsity-eight title in Worcester, Mass., on Lake Quinsigamond. Among the teams the Badgers will race include unbeaten and second-ranked Harvard.
— compiled from staff reports
