The second-ranked California men and the Southern California women posted the fastest qualifying times at the 38th annual San Diego Crew Classic on Saturday.
Two-time defending champion California breezed to a 10-second victory in heat A of the men's eight collegiate varsity invitational, covering 2,000 meters at Crown Point Shores on Mission Bay in 5 minutes, 49.0 seconds. Stanford captured heat B in 5:56.60.
Oregon State, Michigan, Temple and the University of California San Diego also advanced to Sunday's grand final. The top three crews in each heat advanced to Sunday's grand final.
Bucknell was eliminated in heat A, while Jacksonville and Northeastern were fourth and fifth, respectively in heat B.
The Trojans won heat A of the Jessop-Whittier Cup collegiate varsity invitational for women's eight in 6:20.8. Stanford won heat B in 6:24.0, while Cal, Washington State, Washington and Wisconsin also qualified for the final.
UCLA, University of San Diego and Iowa were eliminated in heat A while Oklahoma, Oregon State and Purdue were eliminated in heat B.
Virginia, the defending women's champion, is not competing this year.
