Six boats from the University of Washington crew team will travel to San Diego this weekend to compete in the San Diego Crew Classic. The regatta, to be held at Mission Bay, will feature five of the six finalists from last year’s IRA Men’s championship (the crew equivalent of the NCAA championship), including Harvard, Stanford, Cal and Princeton. Washington will be the team to beat, however, as the Huskies were the champions of the IRA meet last year.

The Husky men will look to rise past the competition and begin their title defense with this race.

“We hope to do well next weekend and show the other schools that we mean business,” sophomore Simon Taylor said of the Classic.

The first heat will be Saturday at 7:30 a.m., with finals taking place Sunday. The rowers will race on a 2,000-meter course featuring three men’s boats and three women’s boats.

The UW women are poised to start their season strong as well, but they too face a tough field.

“USC, the defending conference champions, are on one side, and the Cougars are on the other side,” coach Bob Ernst said.

However, Ernst is proud of his rowers.

“They are very enthusiastic. They have been working very hard. They have talent. I think we can surprise a few people.”

Saturday is the Husky Open Regatta, at Montlake Cut at 8:00 a.m. Husky rowers not rowing in the San Diego Crew Classic will have a chance to row here.

“It’s great that the whole team gets to open the same weekend this season,” Ernst said.

[Reach reporter Zach Ruby at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.]