The San Diego Crew Classic is a high-profile rowing event that marks the beginning of the competitive rowing season. The 2000-meter regatta attracts collegiate and club crews nationwide to give them a platform to show off their talent on the water.
San Diego State University
SDSU, San Diego, has already seen a wealth of competition this season. In November, they achieved the ‘one-two’ at the Naples Island Head Race and an honourable 12th at San Diego Fall Classic, they have experience on this course and will be eager to defend their home waters. In the 2024 season finale, SDSU seized the silver petite final of Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships, no doubt they will use this weekend to gain confidence over 2000m and secure a Grand Final spot this year.
Loyola Marymount University
LMU, which is located in Los Angeles, became a club sport following the 2024 season because of budget reductions. This cut would have taken a huge toll on the crew of LMU, and it will be interesting to see how they fare over the coming days with all the athlete changes at LMU.
UCLA, University of California Los Angeles
UCLA club rowing, with Head Coach Marcel Stiffey at the helm, is abundant in wins, including the 2024 American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) National Championship victory. The squad took third for the collegiate coxed four at the Head of the Charles and second at the 2025 Newport Regatta. At the 2025 California Challenge Cup, UCLA’s Varsity eight team finished with a time of 4:06.253 (1500M), showcasing their prowess as a formidable challenger in the next regatta.
University of California, Irvine
The UCI, Irvine rowing team participated in the California Challenge Cup, racing against several listed teams. UC Irvine also raced in the California Challenge Cup, racing against Santa Barbara, and narrowly lost by five seconds. UC Irvine also faced tough competition in the University of California Berkley and UCLA but came away with a win in the Dylan Ayres Challenge Cup and gained early-season experience.
University of California, Santa Barbara
UCSB in Santa Barbara finished fourth in last year’s San Diego Crew Classic. In the Head of the Charles, their collegiate eight crew finished 29th. UCSB’s 2V crew took 4:32.394 (1500M) in the California Challenge Cup, demonstrating how they are still evolving and can improve upon last year.
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware from Newark has consistently performed well, placing 11th in the collegiate eight and 15th in the collegiate coxed four at the Head of the Charles. Their second-place finish in the 2024 Triton Invitational also says a lot about how competitive they are. These performances make them good bets for the next regatta.
Prediction
Looking at the recent performances, UCLA favourites to win the San Diego Crew Classic trophy. However, rowing outcomes depend on numerous uncontrollable factors, from weather conditions on the race day to team cohesion. Therefore, although UCLA are favourites, there is always ample scope for upset, with other teams potentially putting up a strong fight, I see potential from fellow ‘UCs’ UCSB and UCI to challenge for gold.
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