Worcester, Mass. - It was the usual suspects mixed with a healthy dose of surprises that characterized the winning crew at the 2006 Eastern Sprints. Both Harvard and Princeton took home top honors, Harvard the heavyweight team championship (Rowe Cup), and Princeton the Varsity Heavyweight win. It was Navy and Cornell that provided the surprises on the day, Navy taking home the lightweight team championship (Jope Cup), and Cornell winning the Varsity Eight Lightweight race in what was the most dramatic win at the Sprints.

In typical New England fashion, the 2006 Eastern Sprints endured nearly every weather condition the northeast has to offer. After the storms, and the hail, and then the sun, and the an awe-inspiring rainbow over eastern horizon after seven o'clock, Princeton's Heavyweights and the Cornell Lightweight emerged as the big individual crew winners.

The remarkably consistent Tigers took the Heavyweight Eight by almost a full length to preserve their perfect season. The slightly less consistent, and eighth seeded, Big Red lead the Lightweight Eight race at the 1500 meter mark and surged in the final 200 to cement the upset win.

It was the Naval Academy that took the overall points championship for the lightweight events, earning them their first ever Jope Cup. The Heavyweight Team winner, Harvard, returned to Boston with their 27^th Rowe Cup, their fourth since 2002.

Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, and Navy all head to the Camden, N.J. and the Cooper River for the 104^th Annual IRA Championships on June 1-3.