Heavyweight Rowing Advances All 8+ Boats to Grand Finals at IRA National Championships

Saturday, May 30

Sacramento, Calif.

11:48 a.m. ET / 8:48 a.m. PT

Princeton University

IRA National Championships

Photo by: © row2k Media

Heavyweight Rowing Advances All 8+ Boats to Grand Finals at IRA National Championships

May 30, 2026 | Heavyweight Rowing

GOLD RIVER, Calif. – Day two at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National Championship Regatta was another successful one for the Princeton University heavyweight rowing team as the Tigers sent three boats to Grand Finals and the 4+ finished fifth in its Grand Final.

Princeton's 2V (5:42.860) secured a spot in tomorrow's Grand Final after earning a first-place finish in its heat. The Tigers overcame Harvard (5:43.170), Syracuse (5:48.350), the University of Pennsylvania (5:50.530), Stanford (5:52.870) and Dartmouth (6:01.300).

A fourth boat to a Grand Final!

It went down to the wire, but the 2V wins its heat!

??: https://t.co/LVzjTbEIlj pic.twitter.com/8ScYTybSQ0
— Princeton Heavies (@TigerHeavies) May 30, 2026

The 1V (5:38.290) advanced to the Grand Final after finishing a close second behind defending national champion Washington (5:37.580). Princeton got off to a fast start and led the Huskies after 1000 meters (2:46.560-2:47.760) but ended up slightly trailing Washington. The Tigers got past Dartmouth (5:40.630), Northeastern (5:42.380), Syracuse (5:42.380) and Yale (5:44.380).

The 1V advances to the Grand Final!

The Tigers come in a close second behind defending national champion Washington.

??: https://t.co/LVzjTbEIlj pic.twitter.com/KlfaWY0OSO
— Princeton Heavies (@TigerHeavies) May 30, 2026

The 3V (5:48.240) finished second in its semifinal, also moving on to its Grand Final. The Tigers led for much of the race, including at the 15000-meter mark (4:20.170-4:21.200), but would finish just behind Cal (5:47.310). Princeton took down Brown (5:49.110), Dartmouth (5:49.180), Boston University (5:56.360) and Stanford (5:57.410).

The 3V moves on to the Grand Final!

The Tigers finish less than a second behind Cal and advance to the A final.

??: https://t.co/LVzjTbEIlj pic.twitter.com/yZtIe2UeEQ
— Princeton Heavies (@TigerHeavies) May 30, 2026