WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – The University of Pennsylvania men's heavyweight crew completed the first day of racing at the IRA National Championships on Friday. The Quakers are rowing three Eights and a Four this weekend.
 
Penn Third Varsity Eight is still in the mix for a title, rowing in the A/B semis on Saturday. The Four will row in the Fourth Level Final on Saturday, while the Varsity Eight and Second Varsity Eight will row in their respective C/D semis.
 
Varsity Eight
Penn was fifth in its morning heat, as all six boats finished with open water ahead of the boat immediately behind it. The Quakers clocked 6:01.381 and were comfortably ahead of Santa Clara (6:13.001). Cal won the race in 5:43.093, with Syracuse second (5:46.853), Northeastern third (5:51.285), and Drexel fourth (5:55.567).
 
In the afternoon repechage, Penn took fourth with a time of 5:43.604 to advance to the C/D semis on Saturday. Cornell won the rep in 5:36.710 to advance to the A/B semis, while Temple (5:37.710) and Stanford (5:41.900) join the Quakers in the C/D semis.
 
Second Varsity Eight
In its morning heat, Penn took fourth in a six-boat race as Yale (5:44.399) and Princeton (5:48.177) ran away from the field to earn spots in Saturday's semifinals. Navy was third in 5:56.639, with the Quakers fourth in 5:58.967 and Columbia fifth in 6:00.551. Bates was a distant sixth in 6:16.749.
 
In the afternoon repechage, Penn battled Drexel for a spot in the A/B semis but the Dragons gained that spot with a time of 5:47.381. The Quakers were second in 5:50.415, while Temple (6:01.861) and MIT (6:16.041) were well off the pace.
 
Third Varsity Eight
In its morning heat, Penn clocked 6:03.800 and took fourth in a five-boat race. Dartmouth (5:51.492) and Washington (5:54.706) avoided afternoon reps, while the Quakers were joined by third-place Princeton (5:59.430) and fifth-place Wisconsin (6:10.952).
 
In the afternoon reps, the top three advanced to Saturday's A/B semis and Penn was able to find its way into the mix with a second-place finish in a five-boat race. BU won the race in 5:47.959, while the Quakers were second in 5:50.971 and Navy was third in 5:51.291. Wisconsin (5:55.021) and Drexel (6:01.313) will row in the C/D semis.
 
Varsity Four
Penn will row in the Fourth Level Final after winning its DE semifinal on Friday afternoon. In a close race among all three boats, Quakers clocked 6:40.722 to defeat Cornell (6:42.050) and Catholic (6:43.228). Penn was placed in the DEF semis after taking 22nd out of 25 boats in Friday morning's time trials.
 
IRA SATURDAY SCHEDULE | Watch on YouTube! | Live Results | Penn HWT Boatings
  9:20 a.m. – 3V8 Semifinal A/B
    (lanes 2-7) Penn | Washington | Yale | Cal | Princeton | Navy
  9:50 a.m. – 1V8 Semifinal C/D
    (lanes 2-7) Santa Clara | Colgate | Temple | Drexel | Oregon State | Penn
  10 a.m. – 2V8 Semifinal C/D
    (lanes 2-6) Bates | Stanford | Penn | Northeastern | Oregon State
  10:30 a.m. – V4A Fourth Level Final
    (lanes 1-7) Marist | Tufts | Marietta | Cornell | Penn | Drexel | Catholic