Colby's Second Varsity Provides the Only Upset of Day 1 at IRAs

<img alt="2V CBB Practice '26" src="https://colbyathletics.com/common/controls/image_handler.aspx?thumb_prefix=rp_primary&amp;image_path=/images/2026/5/29/_G8A4333_2.jpeg" /><br /><br />Gold River, Calif. - Friday morning's heats marked the beginning of racing at the 2026 IRA National Championship. The weather was great for it. Mild temps, cloudy skies, and negligible wind greeted the athletes at Lake Natoma. The Division III heats rounded out the morning's program after the Division I Heavyweight and Lightweights raced. The eight Division III teams at the championship raced in four-boat heats Friday morning. The top-three crews in each heat were set to advance to Saturday's grand ginal, and the fourth crew to the petite final. Entering IRAs, Colby's first and second varsity eights were seeded 7th. Both crews faced stiff competition in their heats and raced hard. The first varsity will be racing in Saturday's petite final, and in the only upset of the morning, the second varsity will be in the grand final.