WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – One hundred and one years after having won its first-ever Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championship, the Washington men’s rowing team won its 20th national title Sunday at Mercer Lake.
Washington’s win in the varsity eight grand final capped a clean sweep for the top-ranked Huskies, who also won the championship in the second and third varsity eights, and in the varsity four, the final for which was held Saturday.
Additionally, UW won the James Ten Eyck Memorial Trophy, for overall points champion, for the 18th time. The four UW crews won every heat, semifinal and final over the three-day regatta.
In the final race of the season, the UW varsity crew, which has raced with the same eight rowers all season, faced a challenge from longtime rival and defending champion California, and also from Harvard, the only team to beat the Huskies this year, in an extremely close finish at a regatta in Sarasota, Fla., in late March.
Washington, which had won its heat and semifinals, had not yet squared off with either of those crews at 2024 IRAs.
The final was a tight race from the start, with very little separation between all six crews over the first quarter of the race. Cal crossed the 500-meter mark in first, but less than a tenth of a second in front of Washington.
In the second 500, the Huskies moved in front, with Harvard having moved in front of Cal for second. Washington held a lead of about 1.7 seconds at 1,500 meters, and held off Harvard’s challenge to win.
The Huskies’ time of 5:27.233 was 1.743 seconds faster and about five seats ahead of the Crimson, who finished in 5:28.976. Cal was third, in 5:30.446.
After having had to stage a late comeback to win its semifinal on Saturday, the Huskies’ second varsity eight left nothing to chance in the grand final. The UW crew took the lead from the start and, by 750 meters, had an open-water lead on the field.
Princeton remained closest to the Huskies while Cal and Dartmouth battled for the bronze. In the final 500, Princeton made contact with the UW shell, but the Dawgs didn’t let up, crossing the finish line eight seats ahead of the Tigers, with a time of 5:34.317. Princeton was second, in 5:36.920, with Dartmouth taking the bronze.
The 2V8+ victory gave the Huskies their 31st Kennedy Challenge Cup in program history.
The Huskies opened the morning with a win in the Stewards Cup, for men’s third varsity eights, which proved to be a preview of the 2V8+ in many ways.
Washington led from the start, with Princeton in second for most of the 2,000 meters. The Huskies maintained a lead of a length or so throughout, and won the title in a time of 5:39.028. Princeton took second, 2.499 seconds back, with California earning the bronze.
The win marked the Huskies’ 30th Stewards Cup victory. The Cup was given to the freshman eight winner until 2016, and to the third varsity eight champion since 2017.
On Saturday, the Huskies added to their trophy collection when the UW men’s varsity four won the Eric W. Will Trophy for the 14th time in program history.
WASHINGTON MEN’S LINEUPS
Varsity Eight
Shell: Brett Reisinger ’98
Cox: Nikita Jacobs
Stroke: Max Heid
7: Archie Drummond
6: Jonathan Wang-Norderud
5: Giuseppe Bellomo
4: Sam Ford
3: Cameron Tasker
2: Harry Fitzpatrick
Bow: Marius Bjørn-Hansen Ahlsand
Second Varsity Eight
Shell: ShoedaWg
Cox: Kieran Joyce
Stroke: Darcy McCluskey
7: Ethan Blight
6: Marc Tennesen
5: Povilas Juskevicius
4: Ben Shortt
3: Lyle Donovan
2: Ryan Smith
Bow: Blake Vogel
Third Varsity Eight
Shell: Carl Lovsted
Cox: Casey Neumann
Stroke: Gus Altucher
7: Blake Bradshaw
6: Quinn Hall
5: Ethan Walsh
4: Parker Raines
3: Louis Gallia IV
2.: Ryan Martin
Bow: Giulio Acernese
Varsity Four
Shell: Lou Gellermann
Cox: Tess Kadian
Stroke: Rory McDonnell
3: Hector Guimet
2: Billy Osborne
Bow: Klas Ole Lass
WASHINGTON’S ALL-TIME IRA TROPHIES
Varsity Challenge Cups (MV8+/National Championship) – 20
1923, 1924, 1926, 1936, 1937,
1940, 1941, 1948, 1950, 1970,
1997, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2024
Kennedy Challenge Cups (M2V8+) – 31
1925, 1926, 1927, 1935, 1936,
1937, 1938, 1940, 1948, 1949,
1950, 1953, 1956, 1964, 1972,
1993, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021
2024
Stewards Cups
(Given to MF8+ 1900-2016; M3V8+ 2017-) – 30
1931, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937,
1939, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950,
1951, 1953, 1961, 1969, 1997,
2001, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,
2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024
Eric W. Will Trophies (MV4+) – 14
2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,
2017, 2019, 2021, 2024
Third Varsity Eight (M3V8+) – 1
2015
Freshman Four (MF4+) – 1
2008
Ten Eyck Trophies (Men’s Points Champion) – 18
1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
2019, 2021, 2024
