Newport Beach, CA – March 17, 2025 – The 60th edition of the Newport Regatta provided fast racing conditions with an incoming tide, setting the stage for competitive battles across all events. UCLA delivered a strong performance throughout the day, securing victories in key races and claiming the overall team trophy.

Varsity Eight (V8) – A Fierce Contest

The showdown between two American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) title contenders, the UCLA Varsity Eight finished second in the tightly contested race against a determined Orange Coast College (OCC) crew. The two teams battled down the course in a side by side drag race that never varied by more than a few seats. UCLA relinquished the lead it created in the first 500 meters when OCC made a move at the midpoint which UCLA was unable to counter. The Bruins finished half a boat length back.

Head Coach Marcel Stiffey acknowledged the challenge and remains focused on improvement. "The Newport Regatta has always been a good tune-up before San Diego, and this year's event was no different. We came up short in the Varsity Eight, and I am already looking to get back to work to fine-tune some of the inefficiencies of our race plan. One of my mantras for the crew is to improve from regatta to regatta, and the group came off the water with an understanding that nothing will be handed to them. I'm pleased that the varsity won two of the three events, and the team's depth is really going to have a big impact on a positive trajectory in this next phase of training."

Second Varsity Eight (2V8) – Convincing Victory

UCLA's Second Varsity Eight dominated their race, securing a decisive win over OCC. This marks the third consecutive victory for the 2V8, avenging a narrow loss to OCC at the California Challenge Cup.

Christopher Root, the 3-seat in the 2V, emphasized the crew's balanced approach as the key to their success. "The key to our success today was simply that we all bought into the race in a unified sense. None of us were too serious in a way that would have caused an unsustainable first 500 like at the Challenge Cup, and similarly, we weren't too loose – something that leads to a sluggish start. Because of this evenly spread commitment to each meter of the race, we were able to confidently row as one team through the ups and downs of our first 2k of the season."

Varsity Four (V4) – Continued Dominance

UCLA's Varsity Four continued its impressive streak, winning for the fourth year in a row. The crew executed a controlled and well-rowed race, maintaining composure throughout to secure the victory.

Novice Team's First Racing Experience

The UCLA novice squad had their first taste of collegiate racing, gaining valuable experience against tough competition.

- 1N8 finished second to OCC after a hard-fought race.

- 2N8 also placed second in a two-boat contest, underscoring the challenge many club programs face in maintaining a deep roster.

- N4 finished third behind San Diego State University (SDSU), which had prioritized the event and delivered an outstanding performance, winning by 29 seconds.

The Novice Eight fought hard but fell short in the last 500 meters of their race. Meanwhile, the Second Novice Eight made expected early-season mistakes but recovered to put forth a respectable effort. The Novice Four, despite their lack of experience, rowed well and gained crucial exposure to side-by-side racing.

Novice Coach Weston Cole saw the regatta as an important learning experience for his athletes. "Overall, I think it was an important learning day for the novice Bruins. You never want to walk away from a day of racing with a lot of lessons learned, but sometimes that is what you need on the path to realizing your potential. I'm excited to see how the group responds and look forward to getting back on the course in two weeks!"

Looking Ahead

With strong results at the Newport Regatta, UCLA builds momentum heading into the next phase of the season. With continued training and refinement, the Bruins are poised to make an impact at the upcoming San Diego Crew Classic and defend the ACRA Challenge Cup.

The team's depth, resilience, and commitment to improvement suggest that this season will be one to watch.

Results
Livestream Replay
Timestamps
N4 (23:51)
2N8 (54:41)
1N8 (1:32:41)
V4 (1:41:17)
2V8 (1:50:22)
1V8 (2:10:10)

Lineups
1V8
C: Maddy Dufour
S: Max Ryan
Nick Ryan
Toby Gajar
Gage Saari
Arun Sinha
Ian Kenneally
Pierce Rands
B: Matthew Atwell

2V8
C: Avery Dunn
S: Wyatt Deverell
Zach Cowger
Dante Ray
Jackson Foster
Joseph Herro
Christopher Root
Ronen Rabinowitz
B: Dillon Murphy

V4
C: Julia Dervieux
S: Zee Lake
Jack Miller
Jacob Faulkner
B: Andrew Josephbek

1N8
C: Alex McEttrick
S: Cullen Cox
Hayden Santos
Christian Bentinck
Sumaer Dhalla
Reid Krebs
Jagger Winkler
Peter Shores
B: Colin McGhee

2N8
C: Malaika Patel
S: Zev Meyers
Ian Williams
Corey Patton
Oeiskie Louis-Cleveland
Jalil Brooks
Elijah Lee
Aidan Johnson
B: Emmitt Grossbard

N4
C: Ana Birmingham
S: Ethan Donnelly
Bowen Murphy
Nico Kenneally
B: Isaiah Sharky