GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The Cal men's rowing team registered another strong performance at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship Regatta. With increasing competitive depth in the sport, the Golden Bears continue to find a way to remain among the top programs in the country.

The Bears took third place in the overall team standings of the 2019 IRAs, capping off a impressive weekend with a victory in the second varsity eight grand final and a second-place finish in a tight grand final in the varsity four race.

"I'm really proud of how the guys raced," said Cal head coach Scott Frandsen, who completed his first year guiding the Golden Bear program on Sunday. "The results were pretty much close to what we wanted today. I'm just proud of the effort and the progress that they've made over the year."

Cal was one of only three teams to advance all four of its boats to Sunday's grand finals. The Bears' win in the second varsity eight was their first in any grand final since 2016. The boat dominated all weekend, posting the fastest times during Friday's qualifying and Saturday's semifinals. Cal beat Washington by nearly a full length in the semifinals and led the Huskies by open water for much of Sunday's grand final.

"That second varsity lineup just really clicked over the last week," Frandsen said. "They went out in the semi wanting to prove a point, and they did. The final was solid. They raced really well and knew they were going to win from the first stroke."

The morning began with a scintillating race in the varsity four final, with Cal and Washington battling for the lead throughout. Cal held a narrow lead for much of the race before the Huskies pulled ahead in the final 200 meters and won by just over a second.

Cal finished fifth in a stacked third varsity grand final and battled hard to finish fourth in the main event – the Varsity Challenge Cup (varsity eight grand final).

"We set our sights high," Frandsen said. "Our expectation is we are going to go out and try to win every race. The guys came off the water empty. They left everything out there, and that is all we can ask of them. They raced with composure and courage, and I'm really proud of them."

It was a successful first season for Frandsen, a highly decorated rower in Cal Crew history who went on to compete in three Olympic Games and was then an assistant coach for the Bears before succeeding Mike Teti last summer.

"It's just been such an honor to coach these guys," Frandsen said. "You develop such bonds with the seniors and all the guys over their time at Cal. To have the honor to guide the program and to be the head coach, it's something special."



Sunday's Results

Ten Eyck Final Team Standings

1. Washington       207
2. Yale                   205
3. Cal                    189
4. Harvard             188
5. Princeton           162

Varsity 8+ Grand Final

1. Yale                   5:32.939
2. Washington       5:36.079
3. Harvard             5:37.389
4. Cal                    5:37.389
5. Northeastern     5:41.346
6. Princeton           5:43.771

Second Varsity 8+ Grand Final

1. Cal                       5:38.205
2. Washington          5:40.347
3. Yale                      5:42.567
4. Harvard                5:42.775
5. Brown                  5:45.612
6. Princeton              5:45.932

Third Varsity 8+  Grand Final

1. Washington          5:43.668
2. Yale                      5:46.083
3. Harvard                5:47.478
4. Princeton              5:47.655
5. Cal                       5:51.643
6. Brown                  5:51.910

Varsity 4+ Grand Final

1. Washington           6:19.868
2. Cal                        6:20.963
3. Princeton               6:25.467
4. MIT                       6:29.090
5. Stetson                 6:29.445
6. Georgetown          6:36.008