Lake Natoma, CA - The UCLA Men's Rowing team made a powerful statement during the opening day of the 2025 Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center. Rowing in near perfect conditions, with cool temperatures, overcast skies, and flat water, the Bruins secured multiple Grand Final appearances, setting up an exciting Sunday.

In the first race of the day, the #3 ranked UCLA Varsity 8 raced aggressively off the start in their seven boat heat and opened an early lead, with USD and WSU in close pursuit. With three boats to qualify, a cat and mouse game developed as the crews progressed down the course, well ahead of the rest of the field. Appearing to conserve energy for the finals, the Bruins did not respond to the Toreros sprint and finished a close second, a boat length ahead of the Cougars. 

The strong start, clean transition, and controlled racing cadence put them firmly among the fastest crews of the day. Team captain Toby Gajar shared his assessment, "I'm happy with today's performance. The shell is running well and the boys are getting hyped. Looking forward to a great race tomorrow."

The Men's 2nd Varsity 8+ followed with another strong performance, placing second in their heat and advancing to the Grand Final. The crew showed consistency and strong mid-race pacing, setting themselves up for a medal push.

Speaking after the race, Ronen Rabinowitz, the 6-seat of the 2V, reflected on the team's effort: "Day one of WIRA was a success. We spent some time mixing our lineup in practice, and we've gotten a lot faster this month thanks to our coaches' training plan. The preparation is there, now it's time to sell the farm. The end of the season is approaching, and I can't wait to show everyone what we're capable of doing."

The Varsity 4+, while racing hard, did not advance to the Grand Final after a fourth place finish in competitive heat. Despite falling short of a finals berth, this tenacious boat will have the opportunity to earn valuable team points by finishing the top four in Sunday's Petite Finals.

UCLA's novice crews also impressed with standout performances. The #6 ranked Novice 8 easily qualified for the Grand Final, winning their heat by 7 seconds in a strong, controlled race. The Grand Final appears to be a 2 boat race as #3 ranked OCC dominated the other qualifying heat by over 10 seconds.

The Novice 4 also secured their place in the Grand Final by winning their qualifying race by over 8 seconds. Showcasing both skill and determination, UCLA easily reeled in the quick starting USC crew and cruised to the finish to face the other heat winners from USD and Santa Clara.

The Men's 2nd Novice 8 automatically qualified for their 5 boat Grand Final without a preliminary heat.

With five crews lined up for Grand Finals appearances and the full team contributing, UCLA Men's Rowing is poised and ready to contend for the podium.
Complete event information can found at Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships - Sac State Aquatic Center.

Lineups

Varsity Eight
C: Maddy Dufour
S: Max Ryan
Nick Ryan
Toby Gajar
Gage Saari
Ian Kenneally
Zach Cowger
Dante Ray
B: Matthew Atwell

Second Varsity Eight
C: Ava Dufour
S: Wyatt Deverell
Dillon Murphy
Ronen Rabinowitz
Jackson Foster
Joseph Herro
Christopher Root
Jacob Faulkner
B: Andrew Josephbek

Novice Eight
C: Alex McEttrick
S: Cullen Cox
Hayden Santos
Christian Bentinck
Sumaer Dhalla
Peter Shores
Jagger Winkler
Reid Krebs
B: Colin McGhee

Second Novice Eight
C: Malaika Patel
S: Zev Meyers
Ian Williams
Jalil Brooks
Oeiskie Louis-Cleveland
Corey Patton
Elijah Lee
Aidan Johnson
B: Emmitt Grossbard

Varsity Four
C: Maria Martins
S: Zee Lake
Hamza Soboh
Jacob Faulkner
B: Jack Miller

Novice Four
C: Ana Birmingham
S: Hayden Santos
Cullen Cox
Jagger Winkler
B: Colin McGhee