ITHACA, N.Y. — The Cornell men's heavyweight rowing team opens its spring season Saturday, hosting Drexel on Cayuga Inlet in the first of six consecutive weekends with racing and the first of three home regattas on the year.

Racing begins at 11:00 a.m. with the 3V8+, followed by the 1V8+ at 11:30 a.m., the 2V8+ at noon and the 4V8+ at 12:50 p.m. Race action will be streamed live on ESPN+. Due to the volume of teams on site, spectators are encouraged to avoid the boathouse — parking attendants will be turning cars away. Fans are instead directed to the Boatyard Grill Restaurant, where hot drinks, restrooms, a warm space and a limited menu will be available.

For Spirit of '57 Director of Cornell Rowing Todd Kennett '91, now in his 18th season leading the heavyweight rowing program, the anticipation heading into race weekend is a sign of how much the team has invested in its work.

"There is nothing like a race to make oneself know how alive you are," Kennett said. "The team has worked very hard for a long time. When any group or team works like this and puts their time and effort into achieving a goal, they care more about the results. Well, we are at that time."

The crews have been posting strong times in practice, but Kennett is quick to note the team's youth. The 1V8+ features just one senior, the 2V8+ has four, and the 3V8+ has none — a profile that bodes well for the future but puts a premium on execution now.

"We have been very careful to work hard, but also to be systematic and process oriented so that hopefully we can get the guys to focus on what they control and create and not worry about the results," Kennett said. "Results only come with performance and execution."

The week has not been without its challenges. Illness has sidelined enough rowers that Cornell will be unable to field a 5V8+ this weekend, with those athletes targeting the team's next major test — a road trip to Cambridge to face Harvard in the Robinson Cup next Saturday, April 4, at the end of spring break.

Weather has also been a factor, with boats, oars and rowers coated in ice on several mornings before temperatures swung to 65 degrees and rain midweek. Forecasts for Saturday call for north winds up to 15 mph and temperatures unlikely to top 35 degrees, with a low of 21 overnight Friday.

"Welcome to Ithaca," Kennett said.

Despite the conditions, Kennett is confident the race will go on — and that his team is ready for it.

"We have been training in these conditions, so we are prepared," he said. "It will be one that everyone remembers."

The Big Red will look to carry over momentum from the 2025 campaign. Junior Tony Klar was named to the IRCA's 2026 Athlete Watchlist on Tuesday, one of 82 student-athletes nationally to earn the distinction.

In last year's meeting against Drexel, Cornell swept the first four varsity eights. Cornell concluded the season 13th in the 1V8+, 14th in the 2V8+ and 12th in the 3V8+ in the final IRCA/IRA Men's Poll, landing 14th overall in Ten Eyck Team Points with 138. Drexel was not far behind, ranking 23rd, 17th and 14th in those same boats and finishing 18th in Ten Eyck points with 75.

The Dragons arrive with some early-season momentum of their own, having claimed two gold medals and winning the Kerr Cup for the first time since 2023 last Saturday. Drexel's 1V8+ posted a winning time of 6:20.3, with the 2V8+ crossing at 6:31.2, both comfortably ahead of Lehigh. Their 3V8+ won the second varsity piece with the 4V8+ following right behind, also ahead of Lehigh. The V4+ race was canceled due to high winds.

Adding a layer of intrigue to Saturday's matchup, Drexel head coach and director of rowing Paul Savell is the father of Cornell junior rower Joe Savell.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Subject to change
11 a.m. — 3V8+: Cornell (Lane 2), Drexel (Lane 3)
11:30 a.m. — 1V8+: Cornell (Lane 2), Drexel (Lane 3)
Noon — 2V8+: Cornell (Lane 2), Drexel (Lane 3)
12:50 p.m. — 4V8+: Drexel 5V8+ (Lane 1), Cornell (Lane 2), Drexel 4V8+ (Lane 3)

LINEUPS
1V8+: Jack Walker (coxswain), Abe Litvak (stroke), Walid Ghamra, Noah Kanefsky, Ward Dobeck, Joost Schirm, Tony Klar, Finn Hayes, Constantino Oberto-Calleri (bow).

2V8+: Sofie Cole (coxswain), Marc Albrechtskirchinger (stroke), Zachary Vorrath, Carl Lewis, Michael Goodall, Michael Meneshian, Harrison Sremac, Joe Savell, Shane Gazdus (bow).

3V8+: Yoonu Park (coxswain), Morley Pendred, Justin Umbrasas, Nate Stoulil, Johnnie Moriarty, Veeran Dhaliwal, Donovan Moses, Bennett Dodge, Iasonas Exarchou (bow).

4V8+: Marcus Decorato (coxswain), Marco Burrows, Mason Gossage, Oles Spodin, Xavier Wendt, Lucas Singhal, Iason Diogenous, Eddie Monaco, Florian Offner (bow).