COLD WARRIORS: The Princeton University men’s heavyweight varsity 8 braves the cold and churns through the water in a race earlier this spring. Last Saturday, Princeton’s top boat defeated Navy to retain the Navy-Princeton Cup and move to 2-0 on the season. In upcoming action, the fourth-ranked Tigers welcome No. 10 Penn and No. 19 Columbia to Lake Carnegie this Saturday for the annual Childs Cup regatta, in the race for the oldest trophy in collegiate rowing. (Photo Courtesy of Princeton Crew)

Greg Hughes knew he had something special on his hands with the Princeton University men’s heavyweight crew before it even hit the water this spring.

“The guys worked hard, we added volume to what we did last winter,” said Princeton head coach Hughes, a former star rower and head coach of the Princeton men’s lightweight team who is entering his sixth year guiding the Tiger heavyweight program.

“We also added some ore elements of racing stuff into the ERG training so we would be more used to that. The main point is that everyone approached it in the right way. As long as there is the right focus, the time spent on ERG is valuable. You can build fitness and performance in a way you can’t do when you are on the water.”

Hughes credits senior leadership with helping establish the right focus, starting with captain Jamie Hamp.

“It came from the whole senior class, they are all doing a good job,” said Hughes, whose roster includes seven from the Class of 2015.

“Jamie is a big part of that but it is across the board. You want to have one dynamic through the whole team. We want to win Rowe and Ten Eyck cups, the all points cups at Sprints and IRAs so the first, second, third, and fourth varsity boats are all important.”

There are a number of dynamic rowers across the board in the program this season. “We have a lot of guys back in the 1V and the 2V, out of 18 guys, I think 14 are back, it is a good core,” said Hughes, whose top boat took third in the Eastern Sprints and fifth at the IRAs last spring while the second varsity placed second at both competitions.

“We have had some great additions from the freshmen, they are doing an awesome job. Then we have some guys who didn’t quite make the 1V or 2V last year, who are doing well.”

Adding a new assistant coach, Matt Smith, has made a difference.

“Matt has been an awesome addition, he is an exceptional coach,” said Hughes of Smith, 2004 United States Olympian who served as associate head coach at Cornell from 2008-14 and also has several years of experience with the USRowing Under-23 team.

“He has a no-nonsense approach, that is seen in his record as a racer and then with the Army in Iraq. He has a long and steady history of success. Crew rewards hard work. It is great to have someone in the boathouse who has been somewhere other than Princeton. I have been here 22 years, there are different ways of getting it done.”

So far this season the Tigers have been getting it done with aplomb this spring as the varsity 8 posted an 18.8 second win over Georgetown on March 28 in the opening regatta of 2015, and then defeated Navy by 10.8 seconds last Saturday to retain the Navy-Princeton Cup, and move to 2-0.

“The weather has been a factor, both race days were exceptionally windy,” said Hughes, whose boat had a time of 6:15.4 over the 2,000-meter course on Lake Carnegie against Georgetown and then shaved its time to 6:13.4 in the win over Navy.

“There were difficult conditions and difficult races. It comes down to being tough and aggressive and minimizing damage when something bad happens. The guys have done a good job with that. They have overcome some challenges and tests that have come our way. The races were close in the past couple of years; we went in and set the tone for our pieces immediately. In conditions like that, it can make a difference.”

While Hughes acknowledges that his boats have a long way to go, he believes things are headed in the right direction.

“The results won’t matter in six weeks but we are in the hunt and that’s good to see,” said Hughes, whose top boat is currently ranked fourth nationally.

“It has been a fun year to see how it is coming together. I told the guys to be ready to accept change and I have been doing that as well. I have to be ready to step up to the challenge.”

The Tigers are facing a challenge this week at the annual Childs Cup regatta as they welcome No. 10 Penn and No. 19 Columbia in the race for the oldest trophy in collegiate rowing, a competition that started in 1879.

“Both boats coming in are strong,” said Hughes. “For me it is more than the 24 rowers at the starting line, it is the oldest cup race in collegiate racing. There is a lot of history and tradition.”

With all but one of its regular season regattas this season being held on Lake Carnegie, Hughes is hoping that his rowers produce some strong efforts in front of their home fans.

“Last year we were road warriors and we met that challenge; we rowed Georgetown at home on the first weekend and then were on the road for a month,” said Hughes, noting that his team also faces a stiff road test in the Carnegie Cup regatta on April 25 against Cornell and Yale at Ithaca. N.Y.

“I am always happy to race on Lake Carnegie; it is special to race there. We don’t have that many regular season regattas, just six or so. It is great to be rowing in front of parents, friends and the community.”