The University of Pennsylvania lightweight men’s rowing team will travel to Princeton on April 17 to compete in the annual Wood-Hammond Cup, facing off against Princeton and Georgetown. The Varsity Eights race will determine the winner of the trophy, with Georgetown participating as a guest but not eligible for the cup.
The event is significant due to Princeton’s historical dominance in the series, having won 66 times compared to Penn’s 14 victories. However, Penn has secured wins in the last two contests held at Princeton before narrowly losing last year on its home river by four-tenths of a second.
In preparation for this year’s races, rankings from the latest IRCA/IRA national poll released Wednesday place Penn’s Varsity Eight third nationally. Princeton follows closely in fourth place, while Georgetown holds sixth position.
Saturday’s schedule begins with the Varsity Eights race at 10:30 a.m., followed by Second Varsity Eights at 10:45 a.m., Third Varsity Eights at 11:00 a.m., and Fourth Varsity Eights at 11:15 a.m. Spectators can watch coverage on ESPN+.
The Wood-Hammond Trophy competition between Penn and Princeton started in 1941, though the trophy itself was first awarded five years later. While Georgetown has recently joined as a guest competitor, only Penn and Princeton vie for possession of the cup each year.
