NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — The UC San Diego men's rowing team competed in the California Challenge Cup at Marina Park in Newport Beach, Calif. on March 4 alongside crews from various universities. The competition featured rotating opponent two-crew races over a distance of 1400m ending with UC San Diego's second crew, boat "B" being awarded with the Dylan Ayres Challenge Cup.
 
Overall, UC San Diego men's rowing team put in a strong performance at the California Challenge Cup, with both A and B crews showing great potential for the rest of the season.

UC SAN DIEGO "A" BOAT
Starting bright and early at 7:55 am, UC San Diego's first Varsity 8, the "A" boat went head-to-head with Cal's "B" boat. The Tritons took the lead in their very first race of the day with a time of 4:00.213, finishing just 1.6 seconds quicker then Cal.
 
In the "A" boat's second race at 9:20 am they finished first with a time of 4:11.085, ahead of UC Irvine A who finished behind with a time of 4:22.318. In the final flight of the day at 10:55 am, UCSD A faced off against Cal A, one of the strongest crews in the event. Despite a valiant effort, UCSD A finished with a time of 4:04.429, just behind Cal A, who finished with a time of 3:54.084.
 
UC SAN DIEGO "B" BOAT
The Tritons' found triumph with the second crew, boat "B". The Tritons' "B" boat finished first against UCLA's "B" boat with a time of 4:07.182. In the team's second flight at 9:35 am, UCSD B clinched first with a time of 4:06.582, ahead of OCC B who finished second with a time of 4:27.48. 
 
In the "B" boat's final race of the day, the Tritons finished just under 3 seconds before Cal's "B" team and came out on top in the fight for the Dylan Ayres Challenge Cup.

QUOTABLE
"There was an immediate sense of relief, not that we had done something great, but that we were competitive and in the mix" shared Triton Head Coach Jeff Collett. "The team is looking forward to increasing the rate at practice and preparing for the 2000-meter events that will encompass the remainder of our race season."

UP NEXT
UC San Diego's next race will take place at the San Diego Crew Classic in San Diego at Mission Bay stretching from Apr. 1-2.

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.