GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The Navy lightweight crew team started its competition at the 2019 IRA National Championships with three strong efforts from its fleet. Racing boats in the first varsity eight, varsity four and varsity four without a coxswain classifications, the Mids turned in results that advanced all three in Sunday's grand finals. The two fours highlighted Friday's action at Lake Natoma as both won their respective heats.
 
Navy's varsity four without a coxswain crew was first on water on Friday morning in Northern California. Racing in the event's second heat, the Mids cruised to a 5.928-second victory over the five-boat field with a time of 6:15.368. Penn and Mercyhurst came in within 0.3 seconds of each other in second and third at 6:21.296 and 6:21.458, respectively. With its victory, Navy will advance to grand final action on Sunday morning. The Mids are the defending champs of the V4- event as they crossed the finish line in first last year in New Jersey.
 
Navy's varsity four with a coxswain crew repeated that first-place effort later in the morning. Competing in a five-team field in heat number one, the Mids came out on-top with a time of 6:32.044. Pressured throughout the 2,000-meter contest, Navy held off the tightly-packed duo of Penn and Cornell, who clocked in at 6:34.406 and 6:34.534, respectively. That win advances the Mids into Sunday's grand final.
 
The third team to qualify for a Sunday grand final was Navy's first varsity eight crew. Part of a competitive eight-team division at the IRA National Championships, both heat number one and heat number two were extremely spirited. Heat one with Princeton, Columbia, Penn and Harvard was decided by just 2.768 seconds from first to fourth place. The Mids were also in a fast heat as positions one through four were separated by 4.264 seconds. Cornell completed the race in first with a time of 5:47.800, before Yale and Navy came in back-to-back respectively at 5:49.199 and 5:50.640. Georgetown rounded out the four-team heat at 5:52.064.

"Even with the challenges between our conference and national championships, we maintain high expectations for these lineups at the IRA," remarked head coach Shawn Bagnall. "All three boats today, especially the fours group, handled these expectations with hard work, and earned placement in the Grand Finals on Sunday. We're excited for the opportunity to race representing the Naval Academy and plan to enjoy these final trips down the course this year."
 
All three teams will be off from competition tomorrow in Gold River with practice sessions scheduled before getting back into championship action on Sunday.
 
Results
First Varsity Eight
Heat #2
Cornell – 5:47.800
Yale – 5:49.199
Navy – 5:50.640
Georgetown – 5:52.064
   Advances to Sunday's Grand Final (1:56 PM-ET)
 
Varsity Four w/Cox
Heat #1
Navy – 6:32.044
Penn – 6:34.406
Cornell – 6:34.534
Yale – 6:40.824
Dartmouth – 6:52.206
   Advances to Sunday's Grand Final (11:58 AM-ET)
 
Varsity Four w/o Cox
Heat #2
Navy – 6:15.368
Penn – 6:21.296
Mercyhurst – 6:21.458
Columbia – 6:22.926
Georgetown – 6:34.626
   Advances to Sunday's Grand Final (11:18-ET)

Boat Lineups

	First Varsity Eight
1	Drew Bennett
2	Ben Capannari
3	Theo Freidenrich
4	John Schoenewolf
5	Riki Gagnon
6	Chandler Washburn
7	Ben Skinner
8	Duke Brady
Cox.	Jack Ransick

 

	Varsity Four w/Cox	Varsity Four w/o Cox
1	Kaden Dohm	Clay Jackson
2	Patrick Watler	Noah Chaskin
3	Andy Laberee	Creig Tarrant
4	Myles Knight	Matthew Pentaleri
Cox.	Christophe Theodore