Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships
Mercer Lake • West Windsor, N.J.
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| Lightweight Eight Heat 1 | |
| 1. Stanford | 6:35.320 |
| 2. Wisconsin | 6:49.720 |
| 3. Princeton | 7:09.930 |
| Lightweight Four Heat 1 | |
| 1. Stanford | 7:33.270 |
| 2. Massachusetts | 7:39.910 |
| 3. Villanova | 7:46.630 |
| 4. Fordham | 7:47.220 |
| 5. MIT | 8:31.920 |
| Lightweight Double Heat 2 | |
| 1. Boston | 7:42.630 |
| 2. Stanford | 7:50.220 |
| 3. Radcliffe | 8:00.050 |
| 4. Loyola | 8:55.400 |
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – Top-ranked and defending IRA Champion Stanford lightweight rowing saw all three of its boats advance to Sunday’s Grand Finals at the 2016 IRA Championships Saturday morning on Mercer Lake.
The lightweight eight and lightweight four won its heat by open water, while the lightweight double placed second in its heat Saturday. All three boats will race for a National Championship Sunday morning.
Stanford’s top boat wasted little time surging to the front of the field in its heat. The lightweight eight opened with a two-seat advantage on Wisconsin and grew it to a half a length over the Badgers by 500 meters. The Cardinal built an open-water lead on the field at the 750-meter mark and never looked back, en route to the heat victory. Stanford completed the course in 6:35.320, over second-place Wisconsin’s time 6:49.720. The Cardinal will race for a National Championship in Sunday morning’s Grand Final at 4:16 a.m. PT.
The lightweight four left little doubt in its heat as well, building an open-water lead on the field by 750 meters. Stanford, which led consistently from the start, finished the heat with a time of 7:33.270, ahead of second-place Massachusetts (7:39.910). The Cardinal will compete for an IRA title in Sunday morning’s Grand Final at 5:52 a.m. PT.
Stanford’s lightweight double opened with a lead in the first 250 meters of its heat. However, Boston made a move to surge past the Cardinal at 500 meters. The Terriers opened a two-thirds of a length lead at the midpoint of the course. Boston (7:42.630) went on to win the heat, while the Cardinal (7:50.220) finished the race in second with an open-water advantage over third-place Radcliffe (8:00.050). With the top two boats in the heat advancing to the Grand Final, Stanford will compete for an IRA title in Sunday’s Grand Final at 6:40 a.m. PT.