NEWPORT, Calif. — UC San Diego men's rowing picked up a pair of wins, defeating Orange Coast College and Long Beach State in head-to-head races before windy conditions cut short the UC Challenge Cup on Saturday. The Tritons brought a pair of boats to the event, with the "B" boat picking up both victories.

UC SAN DIEGO "A" BOAT
The Tritons' first Varsity 8 boat, the "A" boat, saw action in the very first race of the day, squaring off against UCLA's "A" boat. The Bruins emerged triumphant, with some help from Newport harbor traffic, as a zodiac blocked the Tritons' path at the end of the racecourse, allowing UCLA to cruise to victory.

UC San Diego's first chance to redeem themselves was foiled by a different sort of harbor traffic. Their opponents collided with another crew on the way to the starting line, leaving the Tritons to row down the course alone.
 
The Varsity 8's next racing action, a dual against Cal's top boat, was less dramatic, but with the same result. The Tritons could not keep up with the Golden Bears, who took home top spot in that showdown.

UC SAN DIEGO "B" BOAT
The Tritons' second crew, the "B" boat, found more success. Their first race of the day was a showdown with Orange Coast College, a race which both crews started incredibly fast, each of their oars hitting the water at rates around 40 strokes per minute as they raced away from the starting line. As both teams settled into their rhythms, the Tritons pulled away, eventually winning by nearly a boat length. They managed the same result in their second race, taking top spot against Long Beach State.

In their final action of the day, the "B" boat had a chance to get some revenge for the "A" boat's loss to Cal, but the Golden Bears once again bested the Tritons.

CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER
Every crew in attendance had been battling the weather all morning, constantly rowing into firm headwinds, and by 11:30 it had become too much. The final races were canceled due to unsafe conditions in the harbor.

QUOTABLE
Given (everything that happened), the regatta was a good opportunity for us get up and down the course a few times, give some of our younger athletes some early spring season reps, and come away with a few things to work on," Head Coach Sean McCrea said. "This group of athletes has been through a lot this year and has shown great maturity and resilience through it all. We're looking forward to bouncing back with a solid training block for these next few weeks as we shift our focus toward the San Diego Crew Classic."

UP NEXT
The Tritons will take part in the San Diego Crew Classic, March 26-27 at Crown Point on Mission Bay. This year, UC San Diego's top Varsity 8 has been invited to participate in the Crew Classic's prestigious Copley Cup, an invite-only race which will feature top crews from around the country.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.