The Washington men’s rowing team had a phenomenal year, culminating in a victory at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship Regatta held on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey. Despite facing tough competition from Harvard, the only team to defeat them during the season, Washington emerged victorious. Initially trailing behind California in the race, Washington surged ahead, with Harvard closely following.
While they didn’t widen the gap significantly, Washington maintained their lead and crossed the finish line first with a time of 5:27.233, with Harvard coming in second at 5:28.976 and California in third place. This win marked Washington’s 20th national title, a remarkable achievement 101 years after their first win, propelling them into second place behind Cornell in all-time wins. Additionally, they secured the James Ten Eyck Memorial Trophy for the overall points winner, a feat they had accomplished consistently from 2007 to 2021, except for the past two years.
The lineup for Washington’s varsity eight included Max Heid as stroke, Archie Drummond, Jonathan Wang-Norderud, Giuseppe Bellomo, Sam Ford, Cameron Tasker, Harry Fitzpatrick, Marius Bjorn-Hansen Ahlsand, and Nikita Jacobs as the coxswain. In other events, Washington excelled, winning the third varsity eight and the second varsity eight with impressive times.
This victory, the team’s second since 2015, showcased their dominance in a season where all top teams competed, reaffirming their status as the best. Their triumph also came shortly after the release of “The Boys in the Boat,” a film highlighting their historic 1936 Olympic gold win, further adding to the program’s legacy. Despite a previous loss to Harvard, Washington’s performance in the championship solidified their standing as the top team, underscoring the significance of their rivalry with Harvard.
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