GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The Stanford men’s varsity eight placed sixth overall at the IRA National Championship on Sunday on Lake Natoma.
Racing in the A Final for the first time since 2021, Stanford placed sixth while covering the 2,000-meter course in 5:49.608. The performance over the weekend was secured the Cardinal its 11th top-six finish in program history and just second since 2010.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this team and what they accomplished this year,” Farwell Family Director of Men’s Rowing Ted Sobolewski said. “It was an entire team effort to win the Chapman Trophy and finish fifth overall in the Ten Eyck standings. To have our varsity eight break through to the A Final for the first time in a full field event since 2009 is a huge step and one that hopefully can accelerate our overall expectations as a team going forward.”
Stanford’s success wasn’t limited to its varsity eight. The Cardinal’s second varsity eight won the B Final in 5:51.247 to come in seventh overall, an effort only bested by a pair of sixth-place results in 2012 and 2003.
Stanford’s third varsity eight started off the day by coming in fifth in the B Final in 5:57.765. Before this weekend, the Cardinal had not raced a third eight at the IRA Championship in seven years.
In the Ten Eyck Trophy points standings, Stanford was fifth with 209 points, tying a program record for best finish with another fifth-place result in 2009. The Cardinal was awarded the Clayton Chapman Trophy at the conclusion of racing on Sunday, which is given to the school that accumulates the greatest year-over-year increase in its Ten Eyck total point count. Stanford’s point total in 2025 was 148, a 61-point improvement. Stanford has won the Chapman Trophy once previously, in 2016.
Stanford only graduates three seniors from this season’s squad – Caspar Griffin, James Pullinger and Jacob Rivera. All three factored heavily into their team’s success this weekend. Griffin was the bow in the 1V8, Pullinger was in the No. 2 seat, and Rivera rowed bow in the 3V8.
“It was meaningful for me to see our seniors James, Caspar, and Jacob go out on such a positive note,” Sobolewski added. “While we got here on the backs of many people, their contribution has been immeasurable and we wouldn’t be here without them.”
IRA National Championship
At Lake Natoma
Sunday’s results
1V8+
A Final – 1, Washington 5:37.493; 2, California 5:38.552; 3, Princeton 5:40.230; 4, Harvard 5:41.588; 5, Dartmouth 5:47.143; 6, Stanford 5:49.608.
2V8+
B Final – 1, Stanford 5:51.247; 2, Northeastern 5:51.422; 3, Yale 5:53.262; 4, Penn 5:54.200; 5, Cornell 5:54.885; 6, Dartmouth 6:01.372.
3V8+
B Final – 1, Dartmouth 5:52.352; 2, Penn 5:54.644; 3, Boston U. 5:54.900; 4, Syracuse 5:55.864; 5, Stanford 5:57.765; 6, Northeastern 5:58.004.
Ten Eyck Trophy (team points)
1, Washington 284; 2, Princeton 272; 3, Harvard 262; 4, California 258; 5, Stanford 209.
Lineups
1V8+
C: Gabrielle Zammit
8: Maxim Ericson
7: Gabriel George
6: Elliott Donovan-Davies
5: Sandro Scalfi
4: Luke Smith
3: Tom Corbett
2: James Pullinger
1: Caspar Griffin
2V8+
C: Kannan Alford
8: Kalen Routley
7: Charlie Vachris
6: Marcus Albrecht
5: Hylton Harvey
4: Christopher Muehl
3: Tyler Murphy
2: Philip Wolfensberger
1: Leopold Hainlein
3V8+
C: Ginger Bernstein
8: Andrew Orio
7: Callen Berwick
6: Danny Stephenson
5: Augustine Freijo
4: John Salvi
3: Raph Skottowe
2: Jack Griffin
1: Jacob Rivera