After dropping its first two races to Princeton this year, Radcliffe topped the Tigers on the Charles River on April 24 and again at the Sprints.
In the four weeks between the Sprints and IRAs, the Black and White tinkered with the technical aspects of their stroke, especially with the length and catch quickness.
“We were as prepared as we could’ve been,” Bothwell said. “Overall, we’d say we’ve made huge changes that had us rowing the best we ever have.”
The nation’s far-and-away top three crews wound up splitting their three showdowns this year.
The first, at the Knecht Cup, went to Princeton and the Black and White took the second at the Eastern Sprints. Wisconsin managed to claim the third and most important race this weekend.
“We don’t really regret it, we are just disappointed,” Bothwell said.
—Staff writer J. Patrick Coyne can be reached at coyne@fas.harvard.edu.