And the 2005 version of the Harvard heavyweights went. The Crimson’s sprint put it four seats up on Princeton at the finish, with Harvard finishing in 5:29.52 and Princeton following in 5:30.66. Northeastern came in third with a time of 5:35.75.

“I think we were pretty focused on Princeton and vice versa,” varsity stroke Adam Kosmicki said. “They just allowed us to push back every time they pushed.”

“But Princeton just laid down an awesome race,” he added.

Harvard’s 1.14-second victory was its closest of 2005 by over five seconds. Since the undefeated dual race mark began in 2001, yesterday’s race was the only collegiate championship race the Crimson did not claim by open water. In the thrilling finish, both boats torched Princeton’s 2001 course record of 5:31.45.

“To their credit, they didn’t give us an inch,” Holzapfel said. “That was the toughest race I’ve had collegiately. They were very, very tough.”

For Holzapfel and Howard, yesterday marked the duo’s fourth trip to the winner’s dock at Eastern Sprints. The two won a Sprints title as freshmen and claimed three more with the varsity over their careers.

This year, the win came in a drastically different boat—both in members and in expectation. The Crimson did indeed enter yesterday’s race as the No. 1 seed, but the almost guaranteed first-place finish of 2004 was no longer mentioned in reference to the 2005 group, composed of three sophomores, three juniors, and three seniors.

But that 1.14 seconds was more than enough for the heavyweight eight.

“When you’re expected to win the past couple of years, and you’re under so much pressure,” Holzapfel said, “winning can be a relief. Being a much less experienced crew and having lost such a great class of oarsmen, winning has been very special for me and has been very fun.”

The second varsity finished fifth yesterday, the third varsity and first freshman boats turned in second-place finishes, and the second freshman boat finished second.

The Harvard varsity was the lone victor for the heavyweights yesterday, but it was a fitting end to a Sprints legacy for the Harvard seniors.

With IRAs and national title talk looming on the horizon, Harvard and Princeton appear set for another showdown in Camden, N.J.

And for the Harvard varsity, the June regatta is another opportunity for a three-peat, and any margin of victory will do.

—Staff writer Aidan E. Tait can be reached at atait@fas.harvard.edu.