CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard lightweight crew swept Delaware to open the 2014 season Saturday, taking the 1V, 2V, 3V and 1F races on the Charles River. In nearly calm conditions, the first varsity edged out the Blue Hens by a close margin in the first event of the spring season.

The varsity 8+ of Christopher Magnani, Nico Astrup Wiik, Lucas Farewell, Jack Kelly, Alexander Newell, Samuel Frum, Andrew Campbell, Alexander Bonorris, and coxswain Shane Bouchard finished a half-length ahead of UD with a time of 6:08.1. The Blue Hens crossed the finish line at 6:10.6.

The Crimson second varsity downed Delaware by open water, posting a time of 6:23.8, nearly seven seconds ahead of UD's time of 6:30.2.

The third varsity also won a neck-and-neck race, crossing nearly a length ahead of Delaware with a time of 6:27.1. The freshman boat won by a 20-plus second margin, registering a time of 6:16.2.

The freshman 4+ boats competed against each other,  with the 'B' boat (Bow: Michael Savarese, 2: Michael Casciotti, 3: Alexander Keane, Stroke: Eric Rodrigo, Cox: Charlie Zhang) taking the win (7:36.3).

Harvard will be back in action next weekend in Ithaca, N.Y., to take on Cornell and Penn.    

Harvard Boating

1V:
Bow: Christopher Magnani, 2: Nico Astrup Wiik, 3: Lucas Farewell, 4: Jack Kelly, 5: Alexander Newell, 6: Samuel Frum, 7: Andrew Campbell, Stroke: Alexander Bonorris, Cox: Shane Bouchard

2V:
Bow: Stefan Skalbania, 2: Mitchel Cole, 3: Edward McKlveen, 4: Ian Klein, 5: Cameron Clemence, 6: Robert Hawthorne, 7: Connor Mangan, Stroke: Eli Leavitt, Cox: -

3V:
Bow: Raymond Lopez, 2: Josh Shih, 3: Nelson Arnous, 4: Ross Svenson, 5: Cameron Heron, 6: Nicholas Phillips, 7: Lev Ratnofsky, Stroke: Matthew Pawlowski, Cox: -

1F:
Bow: Mark Steinbrick, 2: Patrick Anderson, 3: Christopher Wales, 4: Thomas Gill, 5: Ian Meyer, 6: Thomas Marshall, 7: Matthew Podlesak, Stroke: Emmanual Ritschard, Cox: James Dreben

2F4+ A
Bow: Matthew O'Connor, 2: Tim King, 3: Yohann Colloredo-Mansfeld, Stoke: Kalvis Hornburg, Cox: Brett Biebelberg

2F4+ B
Bow: Michael Savarese, 2: Michael Casciotti, 3: Alexander Keane, Stroke: Eric Rodrigo, Cox: Charlie Zhang

Results
Varsity 8:
Harvard - 6:08.1
Delaware - 6:10.6 

Second Varsity 8:
Harvard - 6:23.8
Delaware - 6:30.2 

Third Varsity 8:
Harvard - 6:27.1
Delaware - 6:29.6 

Freshman 8:
Harvard - 6:16.2
Delaware - 6:36.7 

Frosh 4:
Harvard A - 7:36.3
Harvard B - 7:43.9