The California men's rowing team will be the top-ranked crew heading into this weekend's Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships that take place Friday through Sunday at the Cooper River in Camden, New Jersey. The Golden Bears came in at No. 1 in the latest IRCA men's varsity 8+ poll.  The Bears will race their top three varsity 8+ boats along with their varsity 4+.
 
All races will be streamed HERE and results will be posted HERE.
 
Cal will be looking for its 20th national title, which would be tied for second with Washington and behind Cornell (26) for most rowing championships by a school in the country. The team championship is given to the winner of the men's varsity eight grand final.
 
The Bears last won the IRA championship in 2023 when they swept the regatta and took first place in all four events for the first time in program history and won the James Ten Eyck Memorial Trophy, which is given to the overall team points winner. Cal also won the IRA championship in 2022, 2016, 2010, 2006, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1976, 1964, 1961, 1960, 1949, 1939, 1935, 1934, 1932 and 1928.
 
Up for grabs is the Varsity Challenge Cup (winner of the varsity eight grand final and national championship), Kennedy Challenge Cup (winner of the second varsity eight grand final), Stewards Cup (winner of the third varsity eight grand final) and the Eric W. Will Trophy (winner of the first varsity four grand final).
 
In addition to the 19 Varsity Challenge Cup wins, Cal has won the Kennedy Challenge Cup 13 times, the Stewards Cup 10 times and the Eric W. Will Trophy five times.
 
The Bears have a lot of momentum coming into the regatta having won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's (MPSF) first-ever men's rowing conference championship earlier this month. The men's varsity eight features four All-MPSF rowers headlined by MPSF Athlete of the Year Frederik Breuer alongside Angus Dawson, coxswain Iliad Izadi and Harry Manton. Breuer and Dawson are making their return to the IRA after taking last season off to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics along with Gennaro di Mauro and Tim Roth.
 
The IRA Championships use a three-day format for the eights, with Friday serving as heats and repechages races, semifinals taking place Saturday and finals slated for Sunday. The grand finals for the varsity 4+ take place on Saturday, with both the time trials and semifinals occurring on Friday.
 
Race Schedule (all times ET)
 
Friday
8:16 a.m. – V8+ heat 1
Lane assignments: La Salle, Penn, California, Brown, Temple, MIT
 
9:12 a.m. – 2V8+ heat 2
Lane assignments: Navy, Stanford, California, Yale, Temple, Gonzaga
 
9:52 a.m. – 3V8+ heat 3
Lane assignments: Temple, Brown, California, Dartmouth, Holy Cross
 
11:30 a.m. – V4+ time trials
 
3:30-4:18 p.m. – V4+ semis
 
Saturday
8:32 a.m. – V8+ semifinal AB
8:40 a.m. – V8+ semifinal AB
 
8:48 a.m. – 2V8+ semifinal AB
8:56 a.m. – 2V8+ semifinal AB
 
9:04 a.m. – 3V8+ semifinal AB
9:12 a.m. – 3V8+ semifinal AB
 
9:20 a.m. – V8+ semifinal CD
9:28 a.m. – V8+ semifinal CD
 
9:36 a.m. – 2V8+ semifinal CD
9:44 a.m. – 2V8+ semifinal CD
 
10 a.m. – V4+ final 7
10:08 a.m. – V4+ final 6
10:16 a.m. – V4+ final 5
10:24 a.m. – V4+ final 4
10:32 a.m. – V4+ final 3
11 a.m. – V4+ final 2
11:20 a.m. – V4+ grand final
 
Sunday
8:38 a.m. – 2V8+ final 4
 
8:56 a.m. – 3V8+ final 3
 
9:04 a.m. – 2V8+ final 3
 
9:12 a.m. – V8+ final 4
9:20 a.m. – V8+ final 3
 
9:30 a.m. – 3V8+ final 2
9:40 a.m.  – 3V8+ grand final
 
11 a.m. – 2V8+ final 2
11:10 a.m. – 2V8+ grand final
 
11:50 a.m. – V8+ final 2
12:10 p.m. – V8+ grand final
 
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