GOLD RIVER, Calif. -- The Harvard men's lightweight rowing team won its third straight title at the IRA National Championship Regatta, which was contested on Lake Natoma from Friday through Sunday. In Sunday's Grand Final, the two-time defending champion varsity boat raced out to an early lead and took home the bronze medal with a wire-to-wire victory.

Results | Video | Photos

The Harvard Lights nearly gained an open-water advantage by thr 1500m mark before crossing the finish line in 5:47.229 for a three-quarter length victory over Princeton. The Crimson, stroked by captain Ben Lundie, claimed the program's 12th National Championship. The boat featured six returning oarsmen, including Lundie, from last year's championship squad.

The junior varsity, stroked by Nikhil Ramaraju, earned a gold medal and national championship in the second varsity race. Harvard led wire-to-wire, finishing in a time of 5:53.763, and holding off Penn to the line. The win marked the third straight victory for the JV at the IRA National Championship Regatta. Bow Henry Jones is the only oarsman to row the second varsity in all three IRA Regattas in this active stretch of back-to-back-to-back titles.

Results
V8 (A Final)
1. Harvard - 5:47.229
2. Princeton - 5:49.214
3. Dartmouth - 5:50.339
4. Cornell - 5:51.926
5. Penn - 5:52.100
6. MIT - 5:52.160

2V (A Final)
1. Harvard - 5:53.763
2. Penn - 5:55.245
3. Princeton - 5:58.238
4. Georgetown - 6:02.881
5. Navy - 6:04.706
6. Dartmouth - 6:06.111

Harvard Boat Lineups
V8
Coxswain - Nathalie Gregg
Stroke - Ben Lundie
7 - Alex Forbes
6 - Charles Rahdon 
5 - Preston Darling
4 - Jackson Violich
3 - Zarret Mills
2 - Andrew Buda
Bow - Kyle Sutherland 

2V 
Coxswain - Haley Hicks 
Stroke - Nikhil Ramaraju 
7 - Jack Duggan 
6 - Brody Luce
5 - Herbie Austin-Baker 
4 - Ian O'Riley 
3 - Maxton Kilroy
2 - Lucas Pinsent 
Bow - Henry Jones