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Brown University
IRA National Championship
Men's Crew Sends Varsity, 3V Boats to Grand Finals at IRA Championship
6/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Crew
Results | Day 2 Photo Gallery
Sunday: Schedule | Live Stream
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – Brown University men's crew's varsity and third varsity boats both earned a spot to the grand finals as the Bears wrapped up the second day of competition at the IRA National Championship Saturday at Mercer Lake.
The varsity boat will race for a national championship in the grand final, set for Sunday at 7:08 AM. Brown's third varsity boat will race in the grand final at 7:40 AM, while the second varsity will race in the petite final at 7:56 AM. The winner of the varsity eight will determine the IRA National Champion, while the three eights will collectively determine the Ten Eyck Team Trophy.
"The varsity boat did a great job of coming back on task, racing well, getting in a qualifying position early in the race, then challenging Princeton for a second spot," said head coach Paul Cooke. "I though they made a good step forward."
The varsity opened the morning with the first heat of the semifinals for a trip to the grand finals on the line. Sprints Champion Yale jumped off the line for the early lead, followed by Princeton, Brown and Boston University in a battle for the top three qualifying spots. After Yale separated with open water over Princeton, the Bears sat one seat back from the Tigers in third place. Princeton eventually moved out in front of Brown for second, but the Bears held open water of BU and rowed comfortably to third place at 5:36.84.
Brown will meet Yale, Princeton, Washington, California and Harvard in the varsity grand final on Sunday (7:08 AM) for the national title.
In the second varsity semifinal, Princeton held a sizable early lead over Harvard, followed by Brown and Wisconsin about a half-length behind the Crimson. Wisconsin then made a move for third place, pushing past Bruno, while Princeton improved its overall lead to a full length. The Bears pushed their rating up near the midway point, but could not pass the Badgers down the stretch and took fourth at 5:42.76.
The Brown second varsity will race in the petite final against Columbia, Cornell, Yale Northeastern and Penn on Sunday at 7:56 AM.
Brown had a good start in the third varsity semifinal, leading at 200 meters, but Boston University and Princeton climbed up to form a leading trio at 500 meters. The three boats maintained a lead at 750 meters with Cornell not far behind in fourth place. Princeton and BU were locked together at the midway point, but Brown was faced to fend off Cornell. The Bears then used the third 500 to ramp up their rating and passed BU after the 1,250-meter mark. Brown held strong for runner-up at 5:47.25, just behind Princeton but ahead of BU.
The third varsity will race in the grand final against California, Washington, BU, Harvard and Princeton Sunday at 7:40 AM.
Brown captured a victory in the third semifinal of the varsity four to advance to the "C" finals. Brown and Navy were neck-and-neck at 750 meters, before the Bears steadily increased their lead until about half a length just past the 1,000-meter mark. Brown finished first in a time of 6:40.76 and will race on Sunday at 9:56 AM.
Saturday Results
MV8 S1
1 YALE - 5:31.820
2 PRINCETON - 5:35.450
3 BROWN - 5:36.840
4 PENNSYLVANIA - 5:42.230
5 BU - 5:42.880
6 COLUMBIA - 5:51.030
M2V8 S2
1 PRINCETON - 5:35.830
2 HARVARD - 5:38.930
3 WISCONSIN - 5:39.850
4 BROWN - 5:42.760
5 NORTHEASTERN - 5:45.950
6 COLUMBIA - 5:49.440
3V8 S2
1 PRINCETON - 5:44.850
2 BROWN - 5:47.250
3 BU - 5:47.980
4 CORNELL - 5:51.130
5 YALE - 5:56.420
6 G WASHINGTON - 6:00.830
MV4 S3
1 BROWN - 6:40.760
2 NAVY - 6:41.960
3 MARIST - 6:42.960
4 STANFORD - 6:43.830
5 YALE - 6:44.740
6 MILWAUKEE SE - 6:51.820
Sunday Schedule
Varsity – Grand Final – 7:08 AM – Lane 6
3V – Grand Final – 7:40 AM – Lane 5
2V – Petite Final – 7:56 AM – Lane 3
V4 – Third Final – 9:56 AM – Lane 4
