Cornell Rowing Programs Host Another Successful Schwartz Cup
ITHACA, N.Y. — Droves of friends, family, and alumni of the Cornell rowing programs attended the 149th running of the Schwartz Cup this past Saturday morning on Cornell Homecoming, creating yet another successful fall Class Day race on the Cayuga Inlet and Cayuga Lake.
Racing began at 8:30 a.m. from the Cornell Rowing Center and headed north on the Cayuga Inlet before making their way onto the southern-most part of Cayuga Lake. The opening race was nearly 5000 meters in length as crews from the men’s heavyweight, men’s lightweight, and women’s rowing programs raced onto Cayuga Lake before returning to the inlet where it concluded the race near the Boatyard Grill. A 500-meter sprint capped the pair of races on the day with times from both segments getting added together to determine the victors of this year’s Schwartz Cups.
The fastest crews on the day featured the heavyweight’s sophomore class, the lightweight’s senior class, and the women’s junior class.
RESULTS
Heavyweight men: Sophomores, seniors, freshmen, juniors
Lightweight men: Seniors, freshmen, juniors, sophomores
Women’s: Juniors, sophomores, seniors, freshmen
COSTUME CONTEST WINNERS
In addition to its second-place finish, the women’s rowing senior class were the winners of the annual costume contest for its ode to the well-known Disney animated movie Ratatouille. The coxswain donned an outfit resembling one of the protagonists, Remy, the rat that aided Emile, the other protagonist, into becoming a culinary master in a Parisian restaurant.
CHRISTENING OF BOATS
Upon the conclusion of racing, the awards for the fastest crews and winner of the annual costume contest were awarded.
In addition to the awards and honoring of former women’s rower and assistant coach Tracy Eisser ’12, five new shells were christened on Saturday morning. Two of the shells belonged to the the lightweight and heavyweight programs and one for the women’s program.
The lightweight men christened two coxelss four shells, “Bear Claw” and “Red Dawn”, which will primarily used for training.
The women’s team christened a racing eight shell named after Sandra Dupcak ’91. The Dupcak family has had someone row in all three Cornell programs and boats purchased from the Dupcak endowment rotate between the trio of Big Red rowing programs.
Both heavyweight shells christened on Saturday came from the Class of 1957 boat fund, honoring John Van Horn ’57 and the Spirit of ’57. Each shell will be primarily utilized for varsity eight races.
A LOOK UPSTREAM
All three Big Red rowing programs will officially begin their 2024-25 seasons on Sunday, Oct. 20, when they participate at the annual Head of Charles Regatta in suburban Boston.
Michael Grady ’19, a former Cornell heavyweight rower and recent Olympic gold medal winner, will be recognized on Attager Row at the regatta at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, after he was named USRowing’s Male Senior Athlete of the Year last Wednesday.
Detailed launch times and crew lists will be made available the week of racing.
