MIT Reaches Petite Finals at IRA National Championship

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – Improving up last year's performances at the IRA National Championship, the MIT men's lightweight crew team won the varsity eight petite final and was the runner-up in the varsity four petite final this weekend. The event was the last stateside competition for the Engineers as they will race in the Royal Henley Regatta this summer in England.

At Mercer Lake on Saturday morning, the varsity four was fourth in a very competitive opening heat with a time of 6:40.295, just two seconds behind the U.S. Naval Academy and two seconds ahead of Georgetown University. Harvard University won the event in 6:35.174 as Princeton was next in 6:36.489. Later on in the afternoon, MIT edged out Mercyhurst, University, 6:39.633 – 6:40.820, to capture second place as the University of Wisconsin generated the victory in 6:35.327.

Hitting the water on Sunday morning, the varsity eight was fourth in its heat, crossing the line in 5:54.800. Columbia University took top honors with a time of 5:48.846, closely followed by Princeton University (5:51.629), and the University of Pennsylvania (5:53.046). Four hours later in the petite final, the Engineers defeated Navy by four seconds, 5:51.994 – 5:55.152, to secure the victory.

Varsity 8+
Cox: Ali Finkelstein
8: Tom Altmann
7: Mycal Tucker
6: Lee Mount
5: Luke Koblan
4: Ijan Zhakiya
3: Chris Schlaepfer
2: Peter Augusciak
1: Christopher Knapp