Saturday, May 30
Gold River, Calif.
8:00 AM PT
University of Washington
vs
IRA National Championships
Photo by: Red Box Pictures
All UW Eights Through To Grand Finals At IRAs; V4+ Finishes Fourth
May 30, 2026 | Men's Rowing
GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The No. 1-ranked Washington men's rowing team will row for the national championship Sunday at the 2026 IRA Championship Regatta at Lake Natoma, as all three UW eights advanced to grand finals on Saturday.
Washington won its semifinals in the first and second varsity eights, and second in the third varsity eight, to earn a place in all three finals. Also Saturday, the Huskies' varsity four finished fourth in its national championship grand final (the varsity fours competition concludes on Saturday, while the eights hold their finals on Sunday).
The UW was one of four programs to earn a spot in all of the heavyweight grand finals, joining California, Harvard and Princeton. Washington is the two-time defending champion in both the varsity and second varsity eights. In men's college rowing, the "national championship" goes to the winner of the IRA varsity eight grand final.
Saturday morning opened with the Huskies' semifinal in the varsity eight, where the UW would face both Princeton and Dartmouth for the first time this season.
In a very aggressive start, Princeton, Yale and Northeastern moved to the front off of the starting docks, though all six crews were not separated by much. The Tigers crossed 500 meters in the lead, with UW third at that point.
At 1,000 meters, the Huskies had moved into second behind the Tigers and in the third 500, Washington edged in front.
Down the stretch, it remained neck-and neck between the Huskies and Princeton, with UW maintaining a very small advantage throughout. Washington crossed the finish line in 5:37.58, about one seat ahead of Princeton (5:38.29). Dartmouth finished third, with that trio moving through to the grand final on Sunday.
In the other varsity eight semifinal, California, Harvard and Stanford advanced.
Washington's second varsity eight semifinal pitted the UW against top contenders California and Brown, but it was Yale, essentially the fifth-seeded crew in the semi, based on performances in the heats, that took the lead early on.
Yale led at both 500 (UW was third then) and 1,000 meters, by which time Washington had moved past Cal for second. In the second half of the race, Washington took the lead, rowing through Yale alongside the Golden Bears.
At the finish, Washington was able to hold of Cal, but Yale, in qualifying position throughout the race, was beaten to the line by Brown by just two hundredths of a second. Washington won in 5:45.420, with Cal (5:47.480) second. Brown's time of 5:48.250 was just ahead of Yale (5:48.270).
Princeton, Harvard and Syracuse finished in the top three of the other semifinal and to advance to the championship final on Sunday.
In Washington's third varsity eight semifinal, it was the Huskies who moved to the front in the early stages, with Harvard and Yale the closest challengers. The Huskies passed the 500- and 1,000-meter buoys in front of the Crimson, slight favorites in the semifinal, having twice beaten the UW 3V8+ earlier this season.
Washington maintained a very small lead over the Crimson through 1,500 and into the final 200 meters or so, when Harvard pushed to the lead. Harvard won the race in 5:45.91, less than three-tenths of a second in front of UW (5:46.18), with Yale taking the third qualifying spot.
Cal, Princeton and Brown advanced from the other semifinal.
Saturday's schedule concluded with the grand final in the varsity four, with UW the defending champion, squaring off with regular rivals Cal, Harvard, Princeton and Penn (Marist was a late scratch for the final).
In a five-boat field that stayed very close through the first 500 meters, it was Cal that took the lead and never surrendered it.
Washington's four rowed by the 500 and 1,000-meter buoys in second place. In the third 500, Penn and Harvard moved into the two medal spots after California and that order held to the finish.
Cal won the race in 6:27.66 with Penn three seconds back for the silver medal, a half-second ahead of bronze medalists Harvard. Washington finished another second back, in fourth.
Here is the schedule of races on Sunday:
9:46 a.m. PT – Third Varsity Eight, Grand Final
Lanes 1-6: California, Harvard, Princeton, Washington, Brown, Yale
11:08 a.m. PT – Second Varsity Eight, Grand Final
Lanes 1-6: Washington, Princeton, California, Harvard, Brown, Syracuse
12:04 p.m. PT – Varsity Eight, National Championship Grand Final
Lanes 1-6: Washington, California, Princeton, Harvard, Dartmouth, Stanford
Fans can watch a live video stream of the regatta at Overnght.com.
For news, scores, highlights and more, download the Go Huskies app on your mobile device. Follow @washingtrowing on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and TikTok; and @UW_Rowing on X, and subscribe to UW Athletics on YouTube for the latest on the Dawgs.
WASHINGTON LINEUPS
VARSITY EIGHT
Shell: Austin J. Regier
Coxswain – Nikita Jacobs
Stroke – Cameron Tasker
7 – Lucas Andersen
6 – Giuseppe Bellomo
5 – Sam Ford
4 – Ben Shortt
3 – Lyle Donovan
2 – Ryan Smith
Bow – Klas Ole Lass
SECOND VARSITY EIGHT
Shell: ShoeDaWg
Coxswain – Anjali Pamurthy
Stroke – Ryan Martin
7 – Ethan Walsh
6 – Devan Godfrey
5 – Marley King Smith
4 – Rory McDonnell
3 – Povilas Juskevicius
2 – Oliver Leach
Bow – Hector Guimet
THIRD VARSITY EIGHT
Shell: Brett "Big Red" Reisinger
Coxswain – Connor Eacker
Stroke – Byron Richards
7 – Zach Brownlee
6 – Finn Griskauskas
5 – Marc Tennesen
4 – Matteo Belgeri
3 – Ewan Morrow
2 – Colin Phariss
Bow – Dimitri Chamitoff
VARSITY FOUR
Shell: George Yeoman Pocock
Stroke – Tobias Bosnes
3 – Luke Collins
2 – Callan Ogilvie
Bow – Colin Seng
Coxswain – Tessa Adams
Washington won its semifinals in the first and second varsity eights, and second in the third varsity eight, to earn a place in all three finals. Also Saturday, the Huskies' varsity four finished fourth in its national championship grand final (the varsity fours competition concludes on Saturday, while the eights hold their finals on Sunday).
The UW was one of four programs to earn a spot in all of the heavyweight grand finals, joining California, Harvard and Princeton. Washington is the two-time defending champion in both the varsity and second varsity eights. In men's college rowing, the "national championship" goes to the winner of the IRA varsity eight grand final.
Saturday morning opened with the Huskies' semifinal in the varsity eight, where the UW would face both Princeton and Dartmouth for the first time this season.
In a very aggressive start, Princeton, Yale and Northeastern moved to the front off of the starting docks, though all six crews were not separated by much. The Tigers crossed 500 meters in the lead, with UW third at that point.
At 1,000 meters, the Huskies had moved into second behind the Tigers and in the third 500, Washington edged in front.
Down the stretch, it remained neck-and neck between the Huskies and Princeton, with UW maintaining a very small advantage throughout. Washington crossed the finish line in 5:37.58, about one seat ahead of Princeton (5:38.29). Dartmouth finished third, with that trio moving through to the grand final on Sunday.
In the other varsity eight semifinal, California, Harvard and Stanford advanced.
Washington's second varsity eight semifinal pitted the UW against top contenders California and Brown, but it was Yale, essentially the fifth-seeded crew in the semi, based on performances in the heats, that took the lead early on.
Yale led at both 500 (UW was third then) and 1,000 meters, by which time Washington had moved past Cal for second. In the second half of the race, Washington took the lead, rowing through Yale alongside the Golden Bears.
At the finish, Washington was able to hold of Cal, but Yale, in qualifying position throughout the race, was beaten to the line by Brown by just two hundredths of a second. Washington won in 5:45.420, with Cal (5:47.480) second. Brown's time of 5:48.250 was just ahead of Yale (5:48.270).
Princeton, Harvard and Syracuse finished in the top three of the other semifinal and to advance to the championship final on Sunday.
In Washington's third varsity eight semifinal, it was the Huskies who moved to the front in the early stages, with Harvard and Yale the closest challengers. The Huskies passed the 500- and 1,000-meter buoys in front of the Crimson, slight favorites in the semifinal, having twice beaten the UW 3V8+ earlier this season.
Washington maintained a very small lead over the Crimson through 1,500 and into the final 200 meters or so, when Harvard pushed to the lead. Harvard won the race in 5:45.91, less than three-tenths of a second in front of UW (5:46.18), with Yale taking the third qualifying spot.
Cal, Princeton and Brown advanced from the other semifinal.
Saturday's schedule concluded with the grand final in the varsity four, with UW the defending champion, squaring off with regular rivals Cal, Harvard, Princeton and Penn (Marist was a late scratch for the final).
In a five-boat field that stayed very close through the first 500 meters, it was Cal that took the lead and never surrendered it.
Washington's four rowed by the 500 and 1,000-meter buoys in second place. In the third 500, Penn and Harvard moved into the two medal spots after California and that order held to the finish.
Cal won the race in 6:27.66 with Penn three seconds back for the silver medal, a half-second ahead of bronze medalists Harvard. Washington finished another second back, in fourth.
Here is the schedule of races on Sunday:
9:46 a.m. PT – Third Varsity Eight, Grand Final
Lanes 1-6: California, Harvard, Princeton, Washington, Brown, Yale
11:08 a.m. PT – Second Varsity Eight, Grand Final
Lanes 1-6: Washington, Princeton, California, Harvard, Brown, Syracuse
12:04 p.m. PT – Varsity Eight, National Championship Grand Final
Lanes 1-6: Washington, California, Princeton, Harvard, Dartmouth, Stanford
Fans can watch a live video stream of the regatta at Overnght.com.
For news, scores, highlights and more, download the Go Huskies app on your mobile device. Follow @washingtrowing on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and TikTok; and @UW_Rowing on X, and subscribe to UW Athletics on YouTube for the latest on the Dawgs.
WASHINGTON LINEUPS
VARSITY EIGHT
Shell: Austin J. Regier
Coxswain – Nikita Jacobs
Stroke – Cameron Tasker
7 – Lucas Andersen
6 – Giuseppe Bellomo
5 – Sam Ford
4 – Ben Shortt
3 – Lyle Donovan
2 – Ryan Smith
Bow – Klas Ole Lass
SECOND VARSITY EIGHT
Shell: ShoeDaWg
Coxswain – Anjali Pamurthy
Stroke – Ryan Martin
7 – Ethan Walsh
6 – Devan Godfrey
5 – Marley King Smith
4 – Rory McDonnell
3 – Povilas Juskevicius
2 – Oliver Leach
Bow – Hector Guimet
THIRD VARSITY EIGHT
Shell: Brett "Big Red" Reisinger
Coxswain – Connor Eacker
Stroke – Byron Richards
7 – Zach Brownlee
6 – Finn Griskauskas
5 – Marc Tennesen
4 – Matteo Belgeri
3 – Ewan Morrow
2 – Colin Phariss
Bow – Dimitri Chamitoff
VARSITY FOUR
Shell: George Yeoman Pocock
Stroke – Tobias Bosnes
3 – Luke Collins
2 – Callan Ogilvie
Bow – Colin Seng
Coxswain – Tessa Adams
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