Ivy Crews Compete at 161st Henley Royal Regatta

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Courtesy of Harvard Athletic Communications and Yale Sports Publicity

HENLEY-ON-THAMES, England -- Ivy League crews opened the 161st Henley Royal Regatta with Harvard carrying the banner for the Ancient Eight with its varsity four and heavyweight freshman eight each winning their first two races.

Harvard’s varsity four opened competition in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup with a narrow victory over the Isis Boat Club from Oxford University on Wednesday then defeated Georgetown by five lengths on Thursday to advance to the semifinals.

In the Temple Challenge Cup, Harvard’s heavyweight freshman eight cruised to a win of three and one-quarter lengths over Southern California in a winning time of 7:04 on Wednesday and rowed past Exeter University by three lengths in 7:12 on Thursday.

Harvard's varsity eight begins its Henley racing Friday in the Ladies' Challenge Plate.

A combination crew composed of Yale heavyweights and lightweights defeated the seeded 'A' crew from Oxford Brookes by a length in its opening race in the Prince Albert Cup. On Thursday, she Bulldogs lost to England's Newcastle University by one length after the lead changed three times.

Princeton was third Ivy crew in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup, edged by three-fourths of a length by London’s Imperial College in a time of 7:18.

The 161st Henley Royal Regatta features 80 races with a total entry of 505 crews, including 116 overseas crews from 20 different nations.