ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell men's heavyweight rowing will travel to Cambridge, Mass. this weekend to compete for the Robinson Cup against Harvard on the Charles River. Racing begins Saturday morning with the varsity eight at 7:40 a.m., followed by the 2V at 8:10, the 3V at 8:40 and the 4V at 9:10. The regatta will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The Robinson Cup carries special meaning for both programs. The trophy is named in honor of Jack Robinson, a Cornell coxswain who served as team captain in 2021 and 2022 before passing away in February of his senior year.

"He was a great coxswain, as well as a fantastic leader," said Spirit of '57 Director of Cornell Rowing Todd Kennett '91. "He was tough as nails, loved to compete, was very intelligent, and was able to get the most out of the athletes in his boat. Everyday I am reminded of his drive and enthusiasm."

Cornell enters the weekend off a strong home opener against Drexel, winning the varsity, 2V and 3V in challenging conditions on Cayuga Inlet. The Big Red trailed in all three races through the opening 500 to 750 meters before holding their composure, settling into their stroke and pulling away in the second half. The 4V fell by a length in a race hampered by illness-related lineup changes.

Harvard presents a significant step up in competition. The Crimson opened their spring season at the Sarasota Invitational on Nathan Benderson Lake, where their 3V swept Washington across both days of racing and their 2V split with the Huskies, claiming Sunday's race by less than half a second. Harvard's varsity eight finished second to Washington both days, dropping each race by 1.57 seconds.

"Harvard is very good," Kennett said. "They are likely the fastest boats in the country in the 2V and 3V, and second or third in the Varsity. My biggest concern is that we produce our speed. We need our best for a chance, and even if we are behind, I really am working to get that effort so we can begin to fight in the future weeks against the rest of the league."

Despite the challenge, Kennett sees Saturday as an opportunity to measure where his program stands after a promising start.

"Committing to producing our best performance can give us a productive and positive move forwards regardless of the actual result of the weekend."