Bronze for 1V8, Gold for 2V8 at IRA Championships

GOLD RIVER, Calif. — The Williams College men's crew finished their season in a big way, winning two medals at the IRA National Championship. The first eight earned a bronze, and the second eight won gold as the Ephs placed third overall behind Trinity and Wesleyan.

The second eight raced their grand final first and did not disappoint. Lined up against Bates, Colby, Trinity, Tufts and Wesleyan, Williams rowed hard and never let up. At the start, the Ephs got an early lead and then broke away from the pack at the 1000 meter mark to win the race by open water. The finish order was as follows: Williams (6:04.830), Trinity (6:07.380), Wesleyan (6:07.650), Tufts (6:09.570), Bates (6:16.560), and Colby (6:22.180).

The first eight followed with a strong race of their own. Up against Bates, Colby, Trinity, Tufts and Wesleyan, the Ephs rowed tenaciously across the entire 2000 meters of the final. Down some seats on the competition in the middle of the race, Williams took a move to secure medal position to finish third. Trinity won the event, and the finish order was as follows: Trinity (5:54.770), Wesleyan (5:54.920), Williams (5:57.460), Tufts (6:01.240), Bates (6:07.910), and Colby (6:11.270).