Despite conditions that included a strong tailwind and choppy water which made rowing difficult, the Johns Hopkins crew team was able to place in five events at the Occoquan Sprints in Lorton, Va. Apr. 7.
The women's junior varsity eight earned the first points for the Blue Jays after a fourth place finish with a time of 7:37.9. In addition, the women's varsity eight petite finished in 7:20.9 to place fourth while the women's varsity eight finished fifth with a time of 7:11.8.
Johns Hopkins also had an impressive showing from the men. The men's varsity pair A team finished in 7:50.4 and B team in 7:36.8 for a fifth and third place, respectively. The Blue Jay men's novice eight placed sixth with a time of 7:07.6.
Prior to the sprints, the Blue Jays finished tied for first with Washington College to win the Casperson Cup Apr. 3 on the Chester River. The Blue Jays and the Shoremen both finished with 41 points, while St. John's College totaled 22 in the regatta.
The Johns Hopkins men's crew team won all four of its races and the women's team finished second in two races. With the victory, the Blue Jays has now won the cup twice and tied for the cup twice over the past four years.
For Johns Hopkins, the season appears to be quite promising, as over half the team is comprised of upperclassmen. With five returning starters in the women's varsity eight, they are looking to be more competitive this season, which is evident with their recent success. In addition, the novice teams are improving with each race.
"We've been doing pretty well this season, but we are looking to get even better as we get further into the season," freshman Chirsti Gill said. "We've have had lots of lineup changes and injuries."
The Blue Jays will next compete in the Murphy Cup in Philadelphia, Pa. Apr. 20.
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