The Harvard men's heavyweight rowing team is set to compete at the IRA National Championship Regatta from May 29-31 on Lake Natoma, California. After recently defending their Eastern Sprints Championship, they aim for a title following back-to-back silver medal finishes in 2024 and 2025. Longtime rivals Washington defeated Harvard in both previous IRA races, but HUBC returns four key oarsmen, including captain Ben Scott. The varsity boat narrowly lost last year's race, adding to the urgency for this year's competition. Alongside the varsity squad, the second and third varsity teams have shown strong performance, with the second claiming silver at last year鈥檚 regatta.

By the Numbers
  • Harvard has won three national championships at the IRAs since 1995, with the last coming in 2005.
  • The varsity boat has placed second at the IRAs in 2024 and 2025.
State of Play
  • HUBC's varsity boat was consistently close to victory, losing last year鈥檚 final to Washington by less than a second.
  • Harvard's second and third varsity boats performed well, with both besting Washington during the season.
What's Next

Following the IRA National Championship Regatta, the Harvard-Yale Regatta will take place on June 6, continuing the historic rivalry on the Thames River in Connecticut.

Bottom Line

The stakes are high for Harvard as they look to reclaim the national title after recent near-misses, with a strong roster pushing for redemption at the IRA Regatta.