PRINCETON, N.J. – A rising tailwind on Princeton's Lake Carnegie provided fast conditions for Saturday's racing at the National Collegiate Lightweight Invitational, where the Yale lightweight squad turned in a series of powerful performances, defending the Van Amringe Cup for the third year in a row and retaking the Johnson Cup. 
 

• The afternoon began at 4:00 p.m. with the Bulldogs' third varsity four competing against Gordon, MIT and Mercyhurst. Yale broke away within the first 250 meters and continued to increase its margin throughout the duration of the race, ultimately winning convincingly by open water.
• Next on the schedule was the second varsity eight's clash with Navy at 4:55 p.m. Both boats exploded off the line, but Yale managed to gain roughly half a length in the first 500 meters. That lead steadily grew through the middle of the course, and by the third 500 the Bulldogs had established open water. They maintained that advantage across the finish line.
• The marquee event of the evening, the varsity eight race, took place at 5:10 p.m. The opening 500 meters saw the two crews dead even, with Navy then surging to a three-seat lead through the second 500. Refusing to let that lead expand, Yale mounted a powerful move in the third 500, pulling just inches ahead of the Midshipmen. The final stretch featured a back-and-forth showdown, as Navy and Yale traded punches stroke for stroke. Ultimately, the Bulldogs crossed the line about a seat ahead to secure the win. 
• The Bulldogs' win in the varsity eight earned them the Johnson Cup, while the team's overall points victory secured the Van Amringe Cup. The first Cup is named in honor of Eads Johnson Jr. '34, who led the Y150 as captain and served in the U.S. Naval Reserves as a Commander from 1934 to 1953. The second Cup pays homage to Jon Van Amringe '70, who rowed for the Yale lightweights and served in the U.S. Navy before coaching the Navy lightweights.

"Today's racing was a solid start to the season, and we can't wait to build on it tomorrow," said senior and junior varsity coxswain Jackie Weyerhaeuser.

The Y150 returns to the same waters Sunday morning to compete for the Bulldog and Joy Cups against Georgetown and MIT at 10:20 a.m.  The National Collegiate Lightweight Invitational's morning session will be streamed on ESPN+.

Below are the Yale lineups:
 
1V
Cox      Magdalena Moore / Winthrop, Wash.
Stroke  Timmy Parsons / Eugene, Ore.
7           Fielding Staelin / Nashville, Tenn.
6           Finlay Murray / London, England
5           Raph Clark / South Hamilton, Mass.
4           Cassin Edgar-Smith / Barrington, R.I.
3           Ago Ghiso / Chicago, Ill.
2           Dylan Oberst / Greenwich, Conn.
Bow      Ryan Vaughn / Moraga, Calif.
 
2V
Cox       Jackie Weyerhaeuser / Minneapolis, Min.
Stroke   Andrew Kasparyan / Southborough, Mass.
7           Andrew Griesinger / Princeton, N.J.
6           Asher Patent / Chicago, Ill.
5           Ry Natterson / Los Angeles, Calif.
4           Max Blacksten / McLean, Va.
3           Brandon Fernandez / Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.
2           Will Konopka / Philadelphia, Penn.
Bow      John Cahill / Los Angeles, Calif.
 
3V 4+
Cox       Phillip Martins / Bridgeport, Conn.
Stroke   Nolan Kaputa / Princeton, N.J. 
3           Ben Morganroth / Atherton, Calif.
2           Alexander Judelson / New York, N.Y.
Bow     Eddie Cavallin / Washington, D.C.