Washington won their 22nd IRA National Championship and third in a row at Lake Natoma, edging California by 1.059 seconds in a varsity eight final that came down to the closing strokes, extending a familiar run at the top.

Programme Depth Seals the Ten Eyck

The varsity eight was only part of the story. Washington took the James Ten Eyck Memorial Trophy, the overall team prize, on 284 points, with a win in the 3V8+ and silver in the 2V8+ bolstering their points haul. Princeton finished second on 272, Harvard third on 262, and Cal fourth on 258. For a regatta where supporting boats often decide the team title, Washington’s depth was decisive.

A Final That Swung Late

Washington led at 500 metres and 1,000 metres in the varsity eight grand final before Cal moved ahead entering the final 500. The Huskies then reeled the Golden Bears back in, crossing in 5:37.493 to Cal’s 5:38.552. Princeton took third in 5:40.230 and Harvard fourth in 5:41.588, Dartmouth and Stanford completing the six-boat final.

“That’s as good as it gets,” Washington head coach Michael Callahan said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever coached a faster boat or a more cohesive crew. When you’re a coach, you want to see your guys put it all together in the biggest moments and that’s what they did.”

Cal’s Near Miss

For Cal head coach Scott Frandsen, the varsity eight final stung. “It’s a heartbreaker,” he said. “They pushed into the lead in the last few hundred meters and were a few strokes away from winning the national championship.” It was the third time this spring that the No. 2-ranked Bears had lost to No. 1 Washington.

Frandsen called the programme’s wider day “a bit disappointing” after the second and third varsity eights failed to match the first boat’s standard, with Cal finishing fifth and fourth in those finals respectively.

A Callahan-Era Dynasty

Washington first won the IRA title in 1923. Eleven of their 22 championships have come in the last 19 seasons, with 10 of those under Callahan. The Huskies have now claimed the Ten Eyck Trophy 20 times, the most by any college.

Callahan’s post-race words pointed to the crew’s senior core and to the finality of the moment. “There are a lot of seniors in that crew and they’ve put in a lot of work,” he said. “They have the intangibles and they’ve won a lot of very close races. I told them last night I’m sad I won’t be able to watch them row anymore.”