REDWOOD CITY – The No. 2 California Golden Bears men's rowing team lost the Schoch Cup to No. 3 Washington for the first time since 2021 Saturday morning at the Redwood Shores in Redwood City. The cup goes to the winner of the men's varsity eight race and the Bears' top boat was bested for the first time since the 2021 IRA National Championships, when it also lost to Washington to finish second in the grand final of the men's varsity eight. Both Cal and Washington's varsity eight's finishing times broke the Redwood Shores existing course record. Washington took four of the five races with Cal's freshmen 8+ earning the Bears' sole win of the day.
 
"I think the guys executed our races really well and we will learn a lot from today," Cal head coach Scott Frandsen said. "Our season will be defined by how we respond to this. We raced well and came up against some really good crews. We'll learn from it and not let it knock us down at all. Cal and Washington have been setting the pace for collegiate rowing in recent years and that was very true again today."
 
In the V8+ matchup, Cal got off to a good start and went ahead by four seats in the opening 20 strokes. The Huskies were able to walk back a few seats and were down just one seat heading into the halfway point and kept that momentum to take a two-seat lead over the third 500 meters. The Bears were unable to cut into the deficit over the closing 500 meters to finish second in 5:27.7.
 
In the duel between the 2V8+, it was a tight race over the first 20 strokes with Cal taking just a one-seat lead but was able to increase it to four seats in the first 500 meters. The Huskies were able to walk back two seats by the halfway mark and then pulled nearly even over the third 500 meters. Washington continued its momentum and went ahead by a half boat in the closing 500 meters to take the win.
 
In the 3V8+ race, Washington got out ahead early and broke out to an open-water lead by the 1,000-meter mark. The Huskies were able to extend their lead to a half-boat of open water to take the win.
 
In the freshmen 8+ duel, it was fairly even through the first 20 strokes, before Cal took a two-seat lead early in the race. The Bears slowly increased their lead over the first 500 meters and had a four-seat lead halfway through. Cal was able to extend its lead to a half boat over the third 500 meters and finished with an open-water lead over the final 500 meters for the victory in a time of 5:42.9.
 
In the V4+ race, Cal fell behind early and faced an open-water deficit by the halfway mark. The Bears were unable to make up any ground over the third 500 meters and finished second with a time of 6:34.7
 
Cal's 5V8+ and 6V8+ also went head-to-head in an exhibition where the 5V8+ took a two-seat lead within the first 10 strokes, however the 6V8+ was able to maintain contact over the first 500 meters. By the halfway mark, the 6V8+ walked back and pulled even. Over the third 500 meters, the 6V8+ took a one-seat lead, but the 5V8+ was able to make a move and re-take the lead going into the finish and took the win in a time of 5:46.9.
 
The Bears will have next weekend off before competing in the Big Row against Stanford on May 4 at the Redwood Shores.
 
Results
 
V8+
1. Washington – 5:24.0
2. Cal – 5:27.7
 
2V8+
1. Washington – 5:30.5
2. Cal – 5:33.9
 
3V8+
1. Washington – 5:39.2
2. Cal – 5:45.5
 
Freshmen 8+
1. Cal – 5:42.9
2. Washington – 5:46.9
 
V4+
1. Washington – 6:22.9
2. Cal – 6:34.7
 
5V8+/6V8+
1. Cal 5V8+ – 5:46.9
2. Cal 6V8+ – 5:50.9
 
Lineups
V8+
Coxswain: Vieira
Stroke: Tommy Barrell
7: Wilson Morton
6: Tobias Kristensen
5: Harry Manton
4: Noah Anger
3: Nathan Phelps
2: Alexander Baroni
Bow: Pablo Moreno
 
2V8+
Coxswain: Iliad Izadi
Stroke: Thomas Heerding
7: Robbie Prosser
6: Rory Menzies
5: Leonard Brahms
4: Jamie Arnold
3: Maximilian Phautsch
2: Henry Furrer
Bow: Matthew Gallagher
 
3V8+
Coxswain: Ethan Nghiem
Stroke: Farley Dimond-Brown
7: Bret Holt
6: Thomas Barbey
5: Marcus Cameron
4: Luciano Andreuccetti
3: Luuk Rodenburg
2: Matthew Waddell
Bow: Kazimir Kujda
 
Freshmen 8+
Coxswain: Jonathan Glantz
Stroke: Tomba Morreau
7: Jeremy Beale
6: Blake Van Doren
5: Jack Skinner
4: Evan Gold
3: Nemanja Luledzija
2: Mihajlo Dedic
Bow: William Jett
 
Varsity 4+
Coxswain: Anna O'Reilly
4: Brody Bottomley
3: Nicholas Koudriaev
2: Tyler Kurth
1: Dan Bradbery
 
5V8+
Coxswain: Grant Fisher
Stroke: Chris Weiss
7: Keith Ryan
6: Owen Keating
5: Oscar Neil
4: Brady Wojnovich
3: Giorgio Cecchini
2: Bradley Horvitz
Bow: Adrian Enders
 
6V8+
Coxswain: Jack DiMarzo
Stroke: Travis Jorgensen
7: Peter Spira
6: Florian Unold
5: Jack Hanson
4: Andrew Treger
3: Antonio Distefano
2: Walker Reid
Bow: Michael Walker
 
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