April 14, 2007

CAMDEN, NJ - Temple's Varsity 8 successfully defended its title at Knecht Cup, edging Marist in a tight wire-to-wire race Saturday on the Cooper River. The Owls won the race by a mere eight-tenths of a second with Holy Cross placing third.

The Varsity 8 stroked by freshman walk-on Patrick Curran saw the lead change hands at least six times with never more than a quarter-length separating first through third places over the first 750 meters. The Owls then surged from third to first, raising their rate of strokes per minute to 40 to take gold.

Besides Curran, the crew, ranked 22nd in the latest Collegiate Rowing poll, was comprised of Robert Protesto (7), Dante Cammarata (6), James Harding (5), Peter Gostling (4), Nick Vlahos (3), Thomas Haubrich (2), Don Powers (bow) and Tom Goldner

All of Temple's boats - Freshmen 4, Varsity 4, Freshmen 8, and Second varsity 8 made the finals with the Frosh 4 and 2nd Varsity 8 earning silver medals.

The Knecht Cup hosted by Villanova featured over 70 universities from all accross the nation.

The Owls next take to the water on April 21 at the SIRA Regatta in Oak Ridge, Tenn.