REDWOOD SHORES – The No. 1 California men's rowing team took on windy conditions and put its depth to the test against some of the top crews in the country at the Redwood Shores Challenge at the Redwood Shores on Saturday. The Golden Bears' V8+ and 3V8+ earned wins over No. 7 Yale and No. 3 Brown respectively while the freshmen 8+ beat No. 9 Syracuse's 2V8+ in the morning session. Cal's 3V8+ defeated Brown once again in the afternoon session while the V8+ lost by just .3 seconds to the California Rowing Club.
 
AM Recap
 
In the V8+ matchup against Yale, it was fairly even off the start with Cal taking just a one-seat lead after the first 15 strokes. The Bears pressed and took a half-boat lead by 500 meters which extended to open water by the 1,000-meter mark. Cal held that lead throughout the second half of the race to win in a time of 5:59.2.
 
In the 2V8+ race, Yale took a two-seat lead after the first 15 strokes. The race remained tight with the Bulldogs up by four seats at the 500 -meter mark. Yale was able to extend its lead to bow to stern after the halfway mark and even though Cal maintained that contact throughout the second half of the race it was able to mount the comeback and finished in 6:10.4 – just five seconds behind Yale.
 
In the race between Cal's freshmen 8+ and Syracuse's 2V8+, the Orange took a three-seat lead after 500 meters which grew to a half boat by the half way point. The Bears, however, mounted a charge over the third 500 meters and walked back the entire deficit and went ahead by open water with 250 meters to go and held on for the win in a time of 6:06.3.
 
The final race of the morning pit Cal's 3V8+ against Brown. Cal took a three- seat lead after the first 10 strokes which quickly grew to bow to stern after 250 meters. The Bears kept charging and were ahead by at least two boats of open water after the 1,000-meter mark and cruised to the win in 6:06.8.
 
PM Recap
 
In the duel between Cal's V8+ and the California Rowing Club, both boats were even through the first 15 strokes. The Bears took the early lead with a four-seat advantage at 500 meters. That lead remained the same through the halfway point. Cal kept holding off CRC over the second half of the race until there were 250 meters to go. That's when CRC was able to make a charge and overtake Cal in the last three strokes to barely cross the finish line first – just .3 seconds ahead of the Bears who finished in 5:56.6.
 
In the intersquad duel between Cal's freshmen 8+ and 2V8+, it was neck and neck through the first 20 strokes. The 2V8+ eventually took a two-seat lead at 500 meters and gradually extended its lead to a few seats of open water at the 1,000-meter mark. The freshmen were unable to cut into the deficit and the 2V8+ finished first with about two boats of open water in a time of 6:10.4.
 
The final race of the day had Cal's 3V8+ have a rematch with Brown. It was extremely tight over the first 500 meters with Brown only taking a one-seat lead. The Bears pressed forward and took a three-seat lead over the second 500 meters and continued to charge and went up bow to stern after the third 500 meters. Cal held on for the win in a time of 6:16.6.
 
Sunday Schedule (all times PT)
 
9:56 a.m. – Cal 3V8+ vs Yale 2V8+
10:36 a.m. – Cal V8+ vs Brown
10:44 a.m. – Cal 2V8+ vs Brown
10:52 a.m. – Cal Freshmen 8+ vs Brown 3V8+
 
Saturday AM Results
 
V8+
Cal – 5:59.2
Yale – 6:09.5
 
2V8+
Yale – 6:05.2
Cal – 6:10.4
 
3V8+
Cal – 6:06.8
Brown – 6:19.1
 
Freshmen 8+
Cal – 6:06.3
Syracuse 2V8+ - 6:10.4
 
Saturday PM Results
 
V8+
CA Rowing Club – 5:56.3
Cal – 5:56.6
 
2V8+ vs Freshmen 8+
2V8+ - 6:10.4
Freshmen 8+ - 6:21.9
 
3V8+
Cal – 6:16.6
Brown – 6:19.7
 
Saturday Lineups
 
V8+
Coxswain – Iliad Izadi
8. Frederik Breuer
7. Angus Dawson
6. Tobias Kristensen
5. Tim Roth
4. Gennaro di Mauro
3. Pablo Moreno
2. Alexander Baroni
1. Wilson Morton
 
2V8+
Coxswain – Anna O'Reilly
8. Dan Bradbery
7. Matthew Waddell
6. Noah Anger
5. Harry Manton
4. Rory Menzies
3. Maximilian Pfautsch
2. Tomba Morreau
1. Robbie Prosser
 
3V8+
Coxswain – Ethan Nghiem
8. Travis Jorgensen
7. Antonio Distefano
6. Jeremy Beale
5. Evan Gold
4. Leonard Brahms
3. Thomas Heerding
2. Nemanja Luledzija
1. Henry Furrer
 
Freshmen 8+
Coxswain – Jake Bazulto
8. Osian James
7. Nat Gauden
6. Xavier Gagnon
5. Johannes Benien
4. Andreas Simoni
3. James O'Meara
2. Alec Wild
1. Leo Shetler
 
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