Return to the main page...The lightweights opened their regular season at home with a sweep of Georgetown and then won their next four races on the road. The last regular season race was the much anticipated race against Harvard and Yale on the Charles River. Rowing through gusty winds and choppy water, all Princeton varsity boats finished first by open water margins and secured an undefeated regular season. During the two-week racing hiatus prior to Eastern Sprints, the lightweights continued their intensive training program. They traveled to Worcester, Massachusetts knowing that a repeat championship would not he easy. Amid varying wind conditions on Lake Quinsigamond, the lightweights finished their season at Eastern Sprints with a varsity boat sweep, the second in two years.
The third varsity boat started the day with an 18-second victory over its competitors, the largest victory margin in recent memory. The second varsity boat then rowed to a first place finish ahead of Rutgers and Harvard, and set a new second varsity course record. In a tight grand final, Princeton's first varsity finished ahead of Columbia and Harvard to win the Rowe Cup and secured Princeton's claim to the overall points trophy, the Jope Cup. Coach Kevin Cotter's freshman crew was ranked sixth going into Sprints, however, the freshmen ended their season with an upset third-place victory at Sprints, finishing behind Yale and Cornell and thus helping to win the Jope Cup. The Tigers, however, did not fare so well at Nationals. Princeton and Columbia (1-2 at Sprints) were perhaps over concerned with each other and finished in the 6th and 5th positions, respectively, at the IRA.
Link to the Complete Princeton Men's 1998-1999 Season Crew Results
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