Sunday, June 1
Cooper River, N.J.
5:00 AM PT
University of Washington
vs
IRA National Championships
Photo by: Red Box Pictures
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: UW Wins IRA Title For 21st Time
June 01, 2025 | Men's Rowing
PENNSAUKEN, N.J. – An IRA National Championship regatta weekend of fast times, close finishes, and surprise outcomes ended with a familiar refrain: the Washington men's rowing team won the national championship, again.
Sunday, the Huskies held off Harvard in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association's varsity eight grand final to defend their 2024 championship and win the national title for the 21st time in program history – the 10th time in the last 19 seasons.
"Defending the national championship can be harder than winning it in the first place," said 18th year head coach Michael Callahan '96. "The goal all year was to improve from last season, especially with so many Olympians coming back to the respective schools in 2025.
"The guys worked even harder than they did a season ago," Callahan continued. "That's what really separated us from last year – getting a few percentage points better."
Washington also won the second varsity eight grand final and finished second – by three one-hundredths of a second – in the third varsity eights, to wrap up the regatta on Cooper River.
Numerous IRA regatta records in various boat categories were broken, and re-broken, over the three-day event and, crews defied their seedings at an unusual rate for a national championship regatta.
Washington entered Sunday needing to beat a field that included Harvard, runaway winner of its semifinal. The grand final was missing top-seeded California, which suffered a mishap in the final 200 meters of that same semifinal (Harvard was leading when the Bears caught a crab in the final 200 meters) and didn't make the grand.
After a level start across all six crews, Washington and Harvard went to the front of the pack, racing side-by-side in the two middle lanes. The Huskies rowed past the 500-meter buoy just one-tenth of a second ahead of the Crimson. The margin was nearly exactly the same at 1,000 meters.
Expecting a move from the Ivy Leaguers in the third 500, Washington got it, but answered and extended the lead to nearly a full second at 1,500 meters.
As the two crews sprinted to the line, Dartmouth joined the fray, pushing both the Huskies and Crimson to the finish.
Washington won the championship in 5:29.780, just a touch under one second ahead of second-place Harvard (5:30.750). Dartmouth took the bronze, just 15 hundredths of a second back.
"It was tricky water to row on," Callahan noted. "I told the guys that they needed to be great oarsmen. You had to go fast, but not necessarily always at max power. You had to be tactical and precise.
The Huskies also captured the James Ten Eyck Memorial Trophy, for overall points winner for a record 19th time, and for the 15th time in the last 18 years.
The fast, Cooper River race course proved itself once again in the second varsity eight grand final. All six crews got off to a good start, but UW edged in front in the early going.
At 500 meters, Washington had established a lead, but Cal was close behind and Syracuse was running in third place.
Harvard made its move in the third 500, rowing through Syracuse and Cal into second place, but the Huskies had increased their lead in the meantime.
As the crews rowed down the final portion of the course, Washington answered each move from the Crimson and won the race in an IRA-record time (for 2V8+ crews) of 5:25.420, capturing the Kennedy Challenge Cup for the 33rd time in program history.
Harvard finished in second about a second and a half behind with Cal just four-tenths back in third.
The morning began for the Huskies with defense of their title in the third varsity eights.
That race was close throughout with the UW holding the early edge over Harvard and California, all three of those crews having set new IRA 3V8+ records over the previous two days of competition.
At 500 meters, Washington led, but all three of those crews were withing three tenths of a second of one another. By 1,000 meters, Harvard had moved in front with the Huskies running a close second. That same order held at 1,500 meters.
In the home stretch, the Huskies threw everything they had at the Crimson, who answered in kind. Over the final few strokes, Washington made up ground, but Harvard won the race by three one-hundredths of a second, mere inches ahead of the UW crew.
Harvard's final time was 5:29.060, to Washington's 5:29.090. Cal dropped off at the end to finish third, nearly 4.5 seconds back.
On Saturday, Washington secured another national title, winning the varsity four grand final for the 15th time in program history.
WASHINGTON LINEUPS
Varsity Eight
Shell: ShoeDaWg
Cox: Nick Dunlop
Stroke: Ryan Martin
7: Klas Ole Lass
6: Giuseppe Bellomo
5: Povilas Juskevicius
4: Ben Shortt
3: Sam Ford
2: Logan Ullrich
Bow: Harry Fitzpatrick
Second Varsity Eight
Shell: Brett "Big Red" Reisinger
Cox: Kieran Joyce
Stroke: Ryan Smith
7: Jonathan Wang-Norderud
6: Quinn Hall
5: Blake Vogel
4: Ian Burnett
3: Lyle Donovan
2: Marius Bjørn-Hansen Ahlsand
Bow: Finn Griskauskas
Third Varsity Eight
Shell: Chuck Holtz III
Cox: Nikita Jacobs
Stroke: Rory McDonnell
7: Will Milne
6: Marc Tennesen
5: Alex Gonin
4: Ewan Morrow
3: Lucas Andersen
2: Cameron Tasker
Bow: Hector Guimet
Varsity Four
Shell: George Yeoman Pocock
Stroke: Tobias Bosnes
3: Ethan Walsh
2: Parker Raines
Bow: Marley King Smith
Cox: Maggie Gibbons
WASHINGTON'S ALL-TIME IRA TROPHIES
Varsity Challenge Cups (MV8+/National Championship) – 21
1923, 1924, 1926, 1936, 1937,
1940, 1941, 1948, 1950, 1970,
1997, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2024,
2025
Kennedy Challenge Cups (M2V8+) – 33
1925, 1926, 1927, 1935, 1936,
1937, 1938, 1940, 1948, 1949,
1950, 1953, 1956, 1964, 1972,
1993, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2005,
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,
2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018,
2021, 2024, 2025
Stewards Cups
(Given to MF8+ 1900-2016; M3V8+ 2017-) – 30
1931, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937,
1939, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950,
1951, 1953, 1961, 1969, 1997,
2001, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,
2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024
Eric W. Will Trophies (MV4+) – 15
2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,
2017, 2019, 2021, 2024, 2025
Third Varsity Eight (M3V8+) – 1
2015
Freshman Four (MF4+) – 1
2008
Ten Eyck Trophies (Men's Points Champion) – 19
1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
2019, 2021, 2024, 2025
All-Time IRA National Championships
(1895-present; not awarded in 1917-19, 1933, 1942-46, 2020)
Cornell – 26
Washington – 21
California – 19
Navy – 12
Pennsylvania – 12
Wisconsin – 12
Brown – 7
Syracuse – 6
Columbia – 4
Princeton – 3
Harvard – 3
Yale – 3
Northeastern – 2
Dartmouth – 1
(Notes: Two championships were held in 1897; Cornell won both. In 1992, Dartmouth, Navy and Penn finished in a three-way dead heat. All three were awarded a championship in the only tie in IRA varsity eight grand finals history.)
All-Time James Ten Eyck Trophy Wins
(1952-present, not awarded in 1954 or 2020)
Washington – 19
Wisconsin – 14
Navy – 12
Pennsylvania – 9
Cornell – 8
California – 3
Harvard – 3
Princeton – 2
Brown – 2
Yale – 1
Sunday, the Huskies held off Harvard in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association's varsity eight grand final to defend their 2024 championship and win the national title for the 21st time in program history – the 10th time in the last 19 seasons.
"Defending the national championship can be harder than winning it in the first place," said 18th year head coach Michael Callahan '96. "The goal all year was to improve from last season, especially with so many Olympians coming back to the respective schools in 2025.
"The guys worked even harder than they did a season ago," Callahan continued. "That's what really separated us from last year – getting a few percentage points better."
Washington also won the second varsity eight grand final and finished second – by three one-hundredths of a second – in the third varsity eights, to wrap up the regatta on Cooper River.
Numerous IRA regatta records in various boat categories were broken, and re-broken, over the three-day event and, crews defied their seedings at an unusual rate for a national championship regatta.
Washington entered Sunday needing to beat a field that included Harvard, runaway winner of its semifinal. The grand final was missing top-seeded California, which suffered a mishap in the final 200 meters of that same semifinal (Harvard was leading when the Bears caught a crab in the final 200 meters) and didn't make the grand.
After a level start across all six crews, Washington and Harvard went to the front of the pack, racing side-by-side in the two middle lanes. The Huskies rowed past the 500-meter buoy just one-tenth of a second ahead of the Crimson. The margin was nearly exactly the same at 1,000 meters.
Expecting a move from the Ivy Leaguers in the third 500, Washington got it, but answered and extended the lead to nearly a full second at 1,500 meters.
As the two crews sprinted to the line, Dartmouth joined the fray, pushing both the Huskies and Crimson to the finish.
Washington won the championship in 5:29.780, just a touch under one second ahead of second-place Harvard (5:30.750). Dartmouth took the bronze, just 15 hundredths of a second back.
"It was tricky water to row on," Callahan noted. "I told the guys that they needed to be great oarsmen. You had to go fast, but not necessarily always at max power. You had to be tactical and precise.
The Huskies also captured the James Ten Eyck Memorial Trophy, for overall points winner for a record 19th time, and for the 15th time in the last 18 years.
The fast, Cooper River race course proved itself once again in the second varsity eight grand final. All six crews got off to a good start, but UW edged in front in the early going.
At 500 meters, Washington had established a lead, but Cal was close behind and Syracuse was running in third place.
Harvard made its move in the third 500, rowing through Syracuse and Cal into second place, but the Huskies had increased their lead in the meantime.
As the crews rowed down the final portion of the course, Washington answered each move from the Crimson and won the race in an IRA-record time (for 2V8+ crews) of 5:25.420, capturing the Kennedy Challenge Cup for the 33rd time in program history.
Harvard finished in second about a second and a half behind with Cal just four-tenths back in third.
The morning began for the Huskies with defense of their title in the third varsity eights.
That race was close throughout with the UW holding the early edge over Harvard and California, all three of those crews having set new IRA 3V8+ records over the previous two days of competition.
At 500 meters, Washington led, but all three of those crews were withing three tenths of a second of one another. By 1,000 meters, Harvard had moved in front with the Huskies running a close second. That same order held at 1,500 meters.
In the home stretch, the Huskies threw everything they had at the Crimson, who answered in kind. Over the final few strokes, Washington made up ground, but Harvard won the race by three one-hundredths of a second, mere inches ahead of the UW crew.
Harvard's final time was 5:29.060, to Washington's 5:29.090. Cal dropped off at the end to finish third, nearly 4.5 seconds back.
On Saturday, Washington secured another national title, winning the varsity four grand final for the 15th time in program history.
WASHINGTON LINEUPS
Varsity Eight
Shell: ShoeDaWg
Cox: Nick Dunlop
Stroke: Ryan Martin
7: Klas Ole Lass
6: Giuseppe Bellomo
5: Povilas Juskevicius
4: Ben Shortt
3: Sam Ford
2: Logan Ullrich
Bow: Harry Fitzpatrick
Second Varsity Eight
Shell: Brett "Big Red" Reisinger
Cox: Kieran Joyce
Stroke: Ryan Smith
7: Jonathan Wang-Norderud
6: Quinn Hall
5: Blake Vogel
4: Ian Burnett
3: Lyle Donovan
2: Marius Bjørn-Hansen Ahlsand
Bow: Finn Griskauskas
Third Varsity Eight
Shell: Chuck Holtz III
Cox: Nikita Jacobs
Stroke: Rory McDonnell
7: Will Milne
6: Marc Tennesen
5: Alex Gonin
4: Ewan Morrow
3: Lucas Andersen
2: Cameron Tasker
Bow: Hector Guimet
Varsity Four
Shell: George Yeoman Pocock
Stroke: Tobias Bosnes
3: Ethan Walsh
2: Parker Raines
Bow: Marley King Smith
Cox: Maggie Gibbons
WASHINGTON'S ALL-TIME IRA TROPHIES
Varsity Challenge Cups (MV8+/National Championship) – 21
1923, 1924, 1926, 1936, 1937,
1940, 1941, 1948, 1950, 1970,
1997, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2024,
2025
Kennedy Challenge Cups (M2V8+) – 33
1925, 1926, 1927, 1935, 1936,
1937, 1938, 1940, 1948, 1949,
1950, 1953, 1956, 1964, 1972,
1993, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2005,
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,
2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018,
2021, 2024, 2025
Stewards Cups
(Given to MF8+ 1900-2016; M3V8+ 2017-) – 30
1931, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937,
1939, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950,
1951, 1953, 1961, 1969, 1997,
2001, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,
2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024
Eric W. Will Trophies (MV4+) – 15
2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,
2017, 2019, 2021, 2024, 2025
Third Varsity Eight (M3V8+) – 1
2015
Freshman Four (MF4+) – 1
2008
Ten Eyck Trophies (Men's Points Champion) – 19
1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
2019, 2021, 2024, 2025
All-Time IRA National Championships
(1895-present; not awarded in 1917-19, 1933, 1942-46, 2020)
Cornell – 26
Washington – 21
California – 19
Navy – 12
Pennsylvania – 12
Wisconsin – 12
Brown – 7
Syracuse – 6
Columbia – 4
Princeton – 3
Harvard – 3
Yale – 3
Northeastern – 2
Dartmouth – 1
(Notes: Two championships were held in 1897; Cornell won both. In 1992, Dartmouth, Navy and Penn finished in a three-way dead heat. All three were awarded a championship in the only tie in IRA varsity eight grand finals history.)
All-Time James Ten Eyck Trophy Wins
(1952-present, not awarded in 1954 or 2020)
Washington – 19
Wisconsin – 14
Navy – 12
Pennsylvania – 9
Cornell – 8
California – 3
Harvard – 3
Princeton – 2
Brown – 2
Yale – 1
Players Mentioned
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COX
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
COX
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
COX
/ Men's Rowing
COX
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
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/ Men's Rowing
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