LONG BEACH, Calif. — UCLA Men's Rowing returns to the historic Long Beach Marine Stadium on Sunday for the 2025 Naples Island Collegiate Rowing Challenge, better known as the Pancake Regatta—a fall staple that combines competitive head racing with a community pancake breakfast at the site of the 1932 Olympic rowing events.
The Bruins bring nine entries across three events, marking the first full-squad racing opportunity of the season and a valuable early indicator of where UCLA stands heading into winter training. "This weekend's regatta will be an important test for our entire team against a very strong field," said head coach Marcel Stiffey. "Our varsity athletes have posted the best erg scores I've seen during my time at UCLA, and that progress gives me tremendous confidence in the depth and competitiveness of this group. Throughout the fall, we've emphasized how critical every practice is and how our execution on race day reflects the habits we build daily."
Team captain Toby Gajar echoed the excitement, emphasizing the significance of this first program-wide outing, "I'm excited for our first full squad race. We've been putting in hours as usual and the novices have been working really hard learning how to row, so I'm excited to see how everybody stacks up in our first bout against season-long rival OCC."
UCLA will launch three eights in the opening event, matching up against a deep roster of ACRA rivals: CSULB, Sacramento State, UC Irvine, San Diego State, USC, and defending Pancake Regatta champion Orange Coast College.
The Bruins finished second last year—setting the tone for a 2024–25 rivalry in which UCLA chased Coast through much of the regular season before overtaking them at the 2025 ACRA National Championships, where the Bruins earned 4th nationally.
With three boats on the course, UCLA gains not only valuable external competition but also internal pressure that often accelerates lineup development.
At 9:15 AM, UCLA fields three fours, many athletes doubling back from the early eights. The field includes five of the programs from the Collegiate 8 lineup, plus LMU and Cal Poly SLO, while OCC and Sacramento State sit out this event.
The smaller boat class highlights rhythm, precision, and leadership—key data points for coaches shaping top spring lineups. With less than two hours between races for doubling athletes, the fours also test durability and mental sharpness.
The morning concludes with the Men's Novice 8, where three UCLA novice crews line up against a full slate of regional programs.
Reigning ACRA Novice 8 National Champion Orange Coast College again enters as the national benchmark. OCC's Newport-based facilities and strong recruiting pipeline make their novice crews among the most polished in the country.
But UCLA once again brings one of the nation's best walk-on novice groups. At the 2025 ACRA Championships, the UCLA Novice 8 finished 4th nationally, and the Second Novice 8 captured Bronze, affirming the Bruins as a development powerhouse.
Coach Stiffey highlighted the significance of their debut. "I'm especially excited for our walk-ons to line up for their first race, on the course that will host the 2028 Olympic Games. Coach Weston Cole has done an outstanding job instilling a culture of work ethic and accountability, and it's been encouraging to see the athletes fully embrace and buy in to that standard. We're expecting a great day for the young Bruins."
The Naples Island Challenge is more than an early-season benchmark—it is a cultural anchor for Southern California rowing. The head-style course rewards discipline and execution, while the post-race pancake breakfast connects athletes, alumni, and families in a distinctly unique celebration of the sport.
For UCLA, the regatta marks the start of competitive momentum, a showcase of program depth, and a stage for the novices to join the team's racing identity.
Racing begins at 7:30 AM at Long Beach Marine Stadium. Supporters, alumni, and families are encouraged to attend for fast racing—and the best breakfast tradition in collegiate rowing.
