{shortcode-4061e623bf4dd8467c00101a6242eaa07cb8dafa}

Men’s Lightweight

The men’s lightweight eight and lightweight four teams emerged victorious at the Head of the Charles. The lightweight eight team continued its dominance of the event finishing first in 13:51.277 to claim the program’s fourth straight Head of the Charles victory. The team took the lead from the start and expanded its lead across every split, defeating Cornell by 15 seconds and finishing 30 seconds in front of Penn. Crewed by sophomore Lucas Pinsent, junior Henry Jones, sophomore Ian O’Riley, and freshman Maxton Kilroy, the “A” boat delivered another title in 15:40.880 to complete the Crimson's Sunday sweep.

Head Coach Billy Boyce expressed pride in the team's preparation and execution at the event.

“It’s really special to row past Newell boathouse, to have the race course here, and the flags flying, and just so many supporters I know for the guys in the boat,” he said. “They're tremendously proud when they go by, and they get a boost from the crowd support. In a lot of ways, this race is more fun than any other race. It's a little less stressful, but also just the alumni presence and family members that are here, really make it extra special.”

The day began with a historic win for the Crimson’s lightweight rowing team. Brahm Erdmann, who graduated last year, received the prestigious Oarsmen award title, making history as the first ever Crimson Lightweight rower to receive the award. Presented by the International Collegiate Rowing Association, the Oarsman is considered the “Heisman” of collegiate rowing.

“Recognition for all the people that have helped me, rode with me, and competed with me over the last ten years or so,” Erdmann said.

The Crimson lightweights continued dominance shined Sunday, marking another year sweeping the Head of the Charles, building off its undefeated campaign in 2024, in which the team won the IRA National Championship and Henley Royal Regatta.

Men’s Heavyweight

As people crowded from all over the world, the Championship Eights then took on the regatta on Sunday, with three boats flying across the river. The A boat grabbed 3rd place, nabbing the title of second fastest collegiate boat, while the B boat placed 9th and the C boat 17th overall.

The A boat produced solid results, beating out its Ivy League Rivals Dartmouth and Princeton. Notably, however, it was outpaced by Cambridge, a fast team consisting of Harvard rowing alumni, that claimed 1st place with IRCA 1st Team All-American alumni Gabriel Obholzer ’25 and Simon Nunayon ’24 charging to the finish line.

The two club 8 boats also raced earlier this weekend, with the A boat placing 3rd and the B boat placing 20th. Although faced with some difficulties such as the A boat receiving an umpire ruling that brought them from 1st to third and the B boat experiencing a crash with Tufts University, the team reflected on the weekend with positivity.

“We had a bit of an unfortunate time down the track, but it’s just so fun being here and rowing down the Charles when every bridge is packed and there’s people cheering you on every dock,” Senior Sam Davidson said. “It’s really unbeatable.”

He continued to reflect positively on the rowing community. “It’s great to see all the alumni who come back and watch and support,” Davidson said. “I think it’s a testament to how strong the rowing community is.”

Looking ahead, the Harvard Heavyweights are positioned to have a strong spring season. With strong performances all around at the Head of the Charles, and the winter training block that begins once the river freezes, the team is looking forward to the rest of the year.

“Between now and the spring racing season, we have a lot of time,” said Davidson, “I think the team is going to make some big improvements in fitness between now and then, which is always exciting to look forward to.”

—Staff writer Tiffany Oh can be reached at tiffany.oh@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Cristian Gaines can be reached at cristian.gaines@thecrimson.com.