ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy lightweight team will head out on the River Severn on Saturday morning for their penultimate regular season meeting. The Haines Trophy and the Paulovich Team Points Trophy will be up for grabs on a five-race slate between Navy’s No. 3, Harvard’s No. 9 and Delaware. The third crew varsity eight will kick off the action at 7:30 a.m. and wrap up at 8:50 a.m. with a varsity four contest.

Saturday’s full racing schedule will feature the eight crews from Third University racing down the 2,000-meter course on the River Severn at 7:30 a.m., followed 20 minutes later by the Navy, Harvard and Delaware lightweights from Second varsity competing at 7:50 a.m. The Haines Trophy contest between Navy and Harvard (Delaware is a guest) is scheduled for an 8:10 a.m. start before the eight-man race finale at 8:30 a.m. between the fourth and fifth varsity crews. A small boat showdown will conclude the race as the four varsity crews take to the water at 8:50 a.m.

The teams will face off on the lower course on Saturday morning. The finish line is best seen from the fields at Hospital Point. Spectators are asked not to enter Hubbard Hall before, during or after the action.

Most recent Navy vs. Harvard game: April 20, 2019
In a two-team top-seven clash, the seventh-ranked Navy light crew team found themselves in a close battle with the fourth-ranked Harvard Crimson on a five-race slate on Saturday. morning on the Charles River. Running alongside the University of Delaware, Harvard and Navy had a one-two finish in all competitions from fifth college through first college with three of those races decided in 1.9 seconds or less. Unfortunately, for the visiting Mids, the Crimsons were able to retain the Haines Trophy in a hard-fought first college run.

In this V8 contest, the Crimson took an early lead and moved up about four spots at the 1,000 meter mark. Realizing that Harvard was beginning to pull away, Navy began their comeback attempt and nearly fired even within the next 500 yards. Down the home stretch, both crews went blow for blow before Harvard took a late lead for a 1.184 second victory at 6:20.380 at 6:21.564. Delaware posted a time of 6:27.582.

What’s at stake

Haines Trophy
Named after Bert Haines, Harvard’s head lightweight coach from 1936 to 1952, the trophy is awarded to the winner of the first varsity eight race between the Navy and Harvard. Running since 1964, the Crimsons hold the lead in the series, 45-8, with the Mids most recently winning the trophy in 2016.

Michael Paulovich Points Trophy
Introduced to the Navy-Harvard rivalry in 2018, the Paulovich Trophy goes to the program with the highest score. Michael Paulovich was a four-year member of Harvard’s lightweight program before entering the United States Marine Corps in 1979. A strong supporter of Harvard and the Navy, he served until 2007. Harvard has won the trophy in 2018 and 2019.

Last outing: April 9 against Columbia and Georgetown
The No. 2 Navy lightweight rowing team had a stellar day of competition on Saturday with a combined seven-race sweep against No. 5 Georgetown and No. 7 Columbia at Overpeck Park. Facing the Lions in a four-race series in the morning and the Hoyas in three more in the afternoon, the Mids picked up seven wins, with each victory being two seconds or more. Navy will return to Hubbard Hall with a pair of trophies as the program’s premier university beat Columbia for the WIT Cup and Georgetown for the Forster Cup.

Race schedule
7:30 a.m. – Third University 8
7:50 a.m. – Second University 8
8:10 a.m. – Premier Varsity 8 (Haines Trophy)
8:30 a.m. – Fourth/Fifth University 8
8:50 a.m. – First University 4

Directions to Navy Boathouse and viewing on Navy’s Lower Course
*you will need photo ID to enter the Navy campus*

These driving directions will take you to Gate 8 of the Naval Academy. Spectators and guests should park outside the gate and take the short walk (0.25 mile) to the boathouse. Once at the boathouse, there is still a short walk (0.33 miles) to the lower course finish line.

• Route 50 to Annapolis
• Take exit 24, Rowe Blvd, Annapolis
• After approximately 1 mile, turn left onto Taylor Ave.
• After passing a 7-Eleven, turn right at the T-junction.
• Turn right at the second traffic light, then turn immediately right into a parking area and park there. To get to the boathouse, you need to go down the hill along the practice baseball field and to the guards hut. Show your photo ID to the guard and continue down the hill. The boathouse is the first building you will see on the right after the guards hut.
• From the boathouse you can walk to the lower course finish line. After crossing the road near the boathouse towards the cemetery, take the path that runs along the edge of the water in the stream (Do not cross the bridge). Once you get to the hospital fields, cross the field to the right corner of the dyke. The finish line is directly at this corner.