WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – The No. 3 Boston University women's lightweight rowing team opened the 119th IRA National Championship by advancing all three boats to the Grand Final Saturday morning on Lake Mercer.

Seniors Grace Beery and Kathryn Grabowski began their national title defense in the double sculls by winning their heat with a time of 7:42.350 to beat Harvard-Radcliffe by more than a second.

Racing for lane placement in Sunday's Grand Final, the varsity eight boat coxed by Rayna Kuthiala and stroked by Nina Palmer took fourth with a time of 6:46.994, 4.9 seconds behind first-place finisher Princeton and 1.9 seconds behind third-place finisher Stanford. Georgetown took second at 6:43.460, while Harvard-Radcliffe placed fifth at 6:50.254 ahead of Wisconsin (6:57.928).

Also racing for lane placement, the varsity four boat coxed by Nora Chan and stroked by Charlotte Duan placed third at 7:39.943. Harvard-Radcliffe won the race at 7:32.455 with Princeton taking second at 7:37.819. Stanford finished fourth at 7:41.179, while MIT placed fifth at 7:48.841 with Wisconsin (8:01.563) and Georgetown (8:22.767) rounding out the list.

Beery and Grabowski will start Sunday's competition at 8:10 with the V4 following at 8:20 a.m. The V8 will end the IRAs at 10:10 a.m.

SATURDAY RESULTS

Varsity Eight Heat (Race for Grand Final Lanes)
1) Princeton - 6:42.030
2) Georgetown - 6:43.460
3) Stanford - 6:45.000
4) Boston University - 6:46.994
5) Harvard-Radcliffe - 6:50.254
6) Wisconsin - 6:57.928

Varsity Four Heat (Race for Grand Final Lanes)
1) Harvard-Radcliffe - 7:32.455
2) Princeton - 7:37.819
3) Boston University - 7:39.943
4) Stanford - 7:41.179
5) MIT - 7:48.841
6) Wisconsin - 8:01.563
7) Georgetown - 8:22.767

Doubles Heat #2 (Top 3 advance to Grand Final, 4 to Petite Final)
1) Boston University - 7:42.350
2) Harvard-Radcliffe - 7:43.432
3) Gordon - 8:10.600
4) Stanford - 8:42.900

LINEUPS

V8
Coxswain: Rayna Kuthiala
Stroke: Nina Palmer
7: Hanna Brigham
6: Catharine Griskowitz
5: Perrin Lafky
4: Ava Gamble
3: Alexandra DeShaw
2: Karsen Healy
Bow: Savanna Jacovini

V4
Coxswain: Nora Chan
Stroke: Charlotte Duan
3: Maecy Rickman
2: Lulu Smith
Bow: Kieran Purandare

2x
Stroke: Grace Beery
Bow: Kathryn Grabowski