SEASON RECAP: Men's Heavyweight Crew

After one year they were impressive, after two years they were formidable—but after year number three, the Harvard varsity heavyweights have attained dynasty status.

The Crimson varsity captured its third consecutive national title on June 4, beating Princeton for the third time in 2005 to claim the IRA crown yet again.

“We wanted to go out and be aggressive right from the very beginning,” senior seven-seat Malcolm Howard said. “It was an opportunity to be a national champion.”

The opportunity was there, and the Crimson took it again. A 2004 national champion crew—arguably one of the best in collegiate rowing history—returned just two oarsmen for the 2005 campaign.

“A crew shouldn’t worry about filling the holes,” captain five-seat Aaron Holzapfel said. “Your job isn’t to worry about who you lost from last year’s boat.”

The Crimson spent no time worrying, even with three sophomores and three juniors in this year’s boat. Instead, the heavyweights spent their time winning.

Harvard finished off its third consecutive undefeated season with a 6-0 dual record, an Eastern Sprints title, and yet another IRA victory at Camden.

At the 2005 IRAs, Harvard set the tone early in a statement win over Princeton in Friday’s semifinal races. The Crimson edged the Tigers out of the gate for an early one-seat lead, maintaining an open-water lead over third-place Northeastern. Assured of a spot in the finals, Harvard let up on the pressure during the middle of the race, and Princeton didn’t gain an inch. The Crimson held a one-seat lead throughout the course and finished just 0.19 seconds ahead of the Tigers.

It was the closest Princeton had come to beating Harvard, having lost in an April dual race by 6.4 seconds and again at Eastern Sprints by 1.14.

Spectators thought the Tigers might top the Crimson on a course that Harvard had owned for two years.

The Harvard varsity thought differently.

“I think that semi-discouraged them because they didn’t move the whole race,” Howard said. “I think they were worried that if they ever gave anything up, they wouldn’t be able to get it back.”

Saturday’s final played out just as Howard had predicted, with Princeton, Cal, and Washington jumping out with a furious start to match Harvard’s pace.

“Everyone started really fast,” sophomore two-seat Andrew Boston said. “We were all bow ball to bow ball for the first five hundred meters.”

Cal took a near boat length lead by the 1,000 meter mark, and the Washington crew fell slightly off of the pace. Princeton and Harvard—still bow ball to bow ball—crept up on Cal to pull even as the boats entered the final 600 meters.

And Harvard outsprinted the Tigers one more time. Harvard pulled away from Princeton and Cal with 400 meters left and used a strong sprint to finish off both crews.

“Princeton and us started to sprint,” Howard said, “and we had been ready to put together a really good sprint and we did it.”

“That was by far the best last 500 meters we rowed this year,” he added.

Harvard crossed the line in 5:31.68, and Princeton finished second again in 5:32.94. Cal was third in 5:35.9.

The winner’s dock became a wash of Crimson yet again, with Harvard coach Harry Parker claiming his ninth official national title.

For seniors Holzapfel and Howard, the win gave them a perfect 3-for-3 record at IRAs.

“These guys have raised the bar really high,” Boston said. “But Harvard has a tradition of having high expectations.”

And as of late, the Crimson varsity has had little problem fulfilling them.

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