Men's Crew Heads to Mercer Lake for IRA National Championship

Friday, May 28

Mercer, N.J.

Temple University

IRA National Championship Regatta

Photo by: Brian Mermelstein

Men's Crew Heads to Mercer Lake for IRA National Championship

5.27.21 | Men's Crew

Watch Live Live Results

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. -- The Temple men's crew team will take to the waters of Mercer Lake to compete this weekend at the 2021 IRA National Championships. A two-day event, the season-ending regatta will commence Friday morning at 7:00 am with time trials. Semifinals will be held on Friday afternoon starting at 3:00 pm with all heavyweight finals being held Saturday morning at 8:00 am. The Lightweight finals will be held Friday morning starting at 9:30 am.

No Spectators
> There are no spectators allowed at this year's 2021 IRA National Championship.

Live Streaming
> The 2021 IRA National Championship will be available via a free live stream.
> Time Trials Link
> Lightweight Finals Link
> Semifinals Link
> Finals Link (Saturday)

Previewing the Championship
> The Temple Varsity Eight heads into its final regatta of the season undefeated and ranked 12^th nationally. The Owls are won the Murphy Cup, the Kerr Cup, the Bergen Cup, and the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta on their way to the IRAs. There are 31 crews rowing in this year's regatta with Temple rowing in its time trial at 7:11 am.
> The Owls' Second Varsity Eight, which won a bronze medal at the Dad Vail Regatta, enters the IRAs with four wins on the year. The regatta has 27 competing teams with Temple rowing its time trial at 7:49.30 am.
> Temple's Third Varsity Eight, which won its last race against Marist on May 16, will be among 18 teams racing over the weekend. The time trial for the Owls is set for 8:26.30.
>The Owls' Lightweight Eight is the final boat in the TU fleet competing at the IRAs. With only five entries there will only be a championship final with Temple racing Mercyhurst, Navy, Penn and Princeton at 10:10 am on Friday.

Quotable: Head Coach Brian Perkins
> "Winning and losing is something we cannot control. We have to have our best piece in the afternoon on Saturday, May 29. The guys have a goal of making it to the grand final. I believe if they can make the grand final through a nice time trial and semifinal race, they have an opportunity. They are 2000 meters away from putting their bow ahead of a couple other crews and if we do that, we can finish fourth, maybe medal." - on the Varsity Eight

> "I am really proud of this team. The Varsity Eight is very fast, but this speed does not happen in a vacuum. The freshmen are very fast, the 2V and 3V have done a great job. The lightweights still competing and medaling at the Vails. This was a very good Temple team that helped me produce the fastest Varsity 8 I have ever had."

RACING LINEUPS

Varsity Eight
The Sassaman
C - Summit Gillespie
S - Matt Blaszczyk
7 - William Hooper
6 - Adam Love
5 - Thomas Bischoff
4 - Jacob Bucko
3 - Kenneth Raynor
2 - Trent Tighelaar
B - Mattison Sicko

Varsity Lightweight Eight
The Rena
C - Julian Green
S - Kristopher Fisher
7 - Cameron Norton
6 - Mark Canniff
5 - David Gillcrist
4 - Lucas Songy
3 - Kai Yuen
2 - Matthew Fabrizio
B - Cole Heilman

Second Varsity Eight
The Gavin White
C - Hunter Metnick
S - Dylan Schaefer
7 - Brandon Van Vuuren
6 - Nicholas Carbonaro
5 - Slavko Savic
4 - Conner Reilly
3 - Carver Schildt
2 - Nick Guidara
B - Fran Bruzek