Harvard-Yale or Yale-Harvard. Whatever you call it, this ancient tradition is among the most important to both of these programmes. The inaugural edition in 1852 was the first intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, launching today’s massive spectacle. In the modern era, the event retains its historic charm: the two squads left the IRA Championships for their historic training bases before they match up in a series of races on Connecticut’s River Thames (rhymes with games).
First Varsity Eight
The top event in this regatta, Harvard has a 96 to 60 lead in the overall championship, but the recent history has been bluer. Last year, Charley Butt stopped Yale’s run, winning the first victory since 2014, his first year with the programme. Across this season, the two eights have faced up four times, from their early-season meeting in Florida to the Eastern Sprints and the IRA National Championship. The most recent of these was the heat last weekend on the Cooper River. Yale impressed by staying with the Crimson through much of the race but ultimately lost by a second. As a big step on from their 3.7 difference in the season opener, Mike Gennaro has been building some speed in New Haven. Now based out of Gales Ferry, the Bulldogs have made no secret of how highly they value this victory. Add to the mix Harvard missing their best shot at a national title in two decades, and it will be a dramatic race over the four-mile course.
Second Varsity Eight
The second eights, raced over a three-mile upstream course, have been raced annually since 1899, with The F. Valentine Chappell Trophy being awarded for the race since 1983. As with all the boats raced on Saturday, Harvard enter as the favourite, finishing around ten seconds in front of the Bulldogs at both the Eastern Sprints and the IRA Regatta. This is no guarantee of success, though, as last year Harvard had the better result at both regattas, yet Yale was victorious in New London. With bigger margins this year, and a positive vibe in the camp, it would be a bigger shock if the Bulldogs walked away successful this year.
Third Varsity Eight
With Harvard entering this race as national champions in the boat class, there will be supreme confidence at Red Top for the opening race of Saturday’s slate. For Yale, the 11 seconds of boat speed will be a lot to overcome with just a few days to get things right, so this race may have the heaviest favourite across the entire weekend. This Harvard crew lost their first race of the season to Washington, but immediately followed it by righting that wrong, going undefeated through all of April and May. This weekend, the distance changes to two miles, but I would be surprised if this changed the outcome.
The Combination Race
Held on Friday night, the ‘combination’ in its name refers to when this was an event for a mixture of third varsity and second freshman crews. With the death of freshman racing on the East Coast, this has become an opportunity for the fourth varsity crews to show their speed. Yale may be eyeing up this race as their chance to avoid a clean sweep following their victory in the fourth eight at the Eastern Sprints. Their opponents from Harvard finished second that day, before breaking into a four for the national championships, winning silver behind the Washington Huskies. On Friday night’s two-mile race, we will see which crew gets the opening boost, as well as being able to paint the famous rock crimson or blue for the following day’s racing.
