The Radcliffe heavyweight crew has sent three boats to compete in the fifth annual NCAA Championships at Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Ga., this weekend.

After the first day of racing, all three boats are still in the running for a high finish, although they have taken different paths so far.

The Black and White finished fifth in the morning heat, sending it to the repechage.

In the morning race yesterday, No. 2 Michigan, No. 5 Syracuse and No. 13 California took early leads and Radcliffe was a half-length behind California at the 500-meter mark.

A final sprint by B.U. allowed the Terriers to edge the Black and White’s time of 6:40.5 by half a second to claim fourth place.

Michigan and Syracuse advanced to the semi-finals with their top times of 6:28.1 and 6:31.2.

In the repechage, Ohio, California, and Virginia took leads at the start, with Radcliffe in fourth place at the 500-meter mark. But the Black and White battled back, closing in on Virginia to set up a final sprint that launched Radcliffe into third place. The Black and White earned a spot in the semi-finals with a time of 7:20.70.

Ohio and California finished first and second respectively.

All 10 team qualifiers—as well as nine other boats that received at-large bids—raced a boat in the varsity eight event. The varsity semi-finals are scheduled to begin today at 11 AM.

Last year, Radcliffe finished in 10th place as a team at NCAAs. In each of the two previous years, the team raced to a program-best seventh place finish.

This spring, the Black and White varsity is ranked eighth in the latest College Rowing Coaches Association National Poll. Two-time defending national champion Brown leads the standings by virtue of its Eastern titles in the varsity, second varsity, and varsity four races.

The Radcliffe varsity eight completed its fifth straight winning season with a record of 6-5 in dual races, including a win against at-large qualifier Rutgers.

The varsity boat was plagued by close losses in the last dual races of the season, all to other NCAA Qualifiers- Boston University, Yale, Syracuse, Princeton, and Brown. Two of those losses were avenged at Eastern Sprints when the Black and White finished fourth, placing ahead of the Terriers and the Elis.

“We’ve had some rough races going into Sprints, but we really pulled it together at [the Grand Final],”senior Holly Fling said.

Radcliffe’s impressive finish in the Grand Final at Eastern Sprint secured its fourth straight team bid to NCAAs.

“It’s all about getting to NCAAs,” co-captain Mayme Hostetter said. “We’re really excited to seek vengeance for our close losses. People aren’t nervous, they’re hungry.”

With this year’s appearance in NCAAs, senior coxswain Mary Piscitello will become the first Radcliffe competitor to take part in four straight NCAA Championships. In addition, freshman stroke Caryn Davies will become Radcliffe’s second freshman rower to row in the varsity boat at NCAAs.

The outstanding performances of the other boats have aided Radcliffe in its quest for an NCAA berth and high Eastern finishes.

“The rest of the team has been fabulous [all season],” Hostetter said.

Radcliffe’s second varsity boat finished in second place in yesterday’s morning heat, sending it to its first NCAA Grand Final.

The Black and White held the lead for the first half of the race, but Michigan walked through the Radcliffe boat at the 1000-meter mark to take the advantage. The Wolverines finished in first with a time of 6:39.3, besting Radcliffe’s 6:44.1 and giving both crews automatic spots in the Grand Final. Radcliffe just nudged out Ohio State’s time of 6:44.9.

The Black and White second boat is well-positioned for a high finish in the Grand Final, having posted a 10-1 record and winning second place at Sprints.

Meanwhile, in the varsity four’s morning heat yesterday, Radcliffe rowed with Michigan and Iowa for the first part of the race, but Virginia and California walked through the Black and White boat to send it into fifth place. Radcliffe finished with a time of 7:52.8 and first-place Michigan finished with a time of 7:31.3.

Radcliffe will row in the repechage at 10 a.m. today to determine if it will go on to the Grand Final.

The varsity four finished with a perfect 10-0 record, but finished fifth at Eastern Sprints after experiencing some technical difficulties. This regatta provides the opportunity for redemption.

The varsity four qualified for the Grand Final in both 1998 and 1999 where it placed fifth, the highest a Radcliffe boat has ever placed at NCAAs.

Only the 10 teams that qualified race boats in the second varsity and varsity four events.

Brown and Michigan have won three races apiece, setting up a duel between the top-ranked teams in the nation.