MERCER, N.J. – The Cornell lightweight varsity eight capped its second straight undefeated season and repeated as national champions with a dominating victory this afternoon at the 113th edition of the IRA Regatta, held on Mercer Lake.  
 
The Big Red wins consecutive national championships for the first time since winning three in a row from 2006 to 2008, giving Cornell the crown in five of the last 10 seasons and six times overall since the lightweight championship was added in 1990.  
 
The race was a close one early on with Cornell, Columbia, Princeton and Harvard all getting off the line quickly. The Lions and Tigers took a slight lead over the pack in the opening moments, but Cornell stormed back and by the 500-meter marker took a lead it would not relinquish. Columbia held tough for the next 250 meters and got back within one-seat, but the Big Red kicked into high gear and held a four-seat lead at the midway point of the race.
 
Cornell continued to build its lead over the second half of the race and defeated the Lions by a length in a time of 5:38.989. Harvard used a tremendous comeback over the final 1000 meters to overtake Princeton and came in just .9 seconds behind Columbia.