Normally, finishing fifth in a crew race is not a time for cheers. But for the University of California, San Diego, it meant it wasn’t far off from fast company at the April 3 Crew Classic Copley Cup finals. The Tritons’ performance on Mission Bay made them the first San Diego boat to make it to the grand final in the 38 years the races have been run. For a school seeking a jump from Division 2 to Division 1, this was huge. As expected, perennial favorites University of California, Berkeley (5 minutes, 45.9 seconds) and Stanford (5:57.75) finished 1-2, followed by Michigan and Oregon State. UCSD mens’ first-day qualifying time was 6:01.57. To become one of the nation’s top 20 teams, coach Zach Johnson said you need a good recruiting program and a school that attracts fine students. “And we have that,” he said. “I think we’re on a par with Cal, Stanford and Columbia academically, and what better place to live than in San Diego.”