As the calendars change over to 2026, the new season is looming into view. The winter period is critical in developing speed, as both winter training trips and the hard grind on the rowing machines at home will define the success of a programme this year. For coaches, they will begin to find out how successful their campaign will be, but for the rest of us, we can only speculate. To that end, here are some of the most intriguing programmes to watch as the season unfolds.
Harvard University
They have reestablished dominance over Yale, won their first Eastern Sprints in more than a decade, and secured back-to-back silver medals at the national championships. Harvard are more than ready to win their first IRA crown since 2005. From last year’s crew, they bring six returners. All six are seniors with only one chance left to lift the Varsity Challenge Cup. Add to the mix a phenomenally talented class of recruits: this platform has spent plenty of time singing the exceptional praises of Alp Karodogan, but Jack Hansen-Knarhoi has also stepped straight into the first eight. These two finished first and second in the pair at the U19 World Rowing Championships this summer and bring youthful energy to an experienced varsity unit. However, despite all of this talent, no one will be hanging a medal around their neck just yet. The Washington Huskies sneaked ahead of them on home water at the Head of the Charles in October, and May’s championship regatta will be across the country on Lake Natoma. But if there were ever a group to overcome these challenges, it would be these talented Harvard oarsmen, who will know that this is their best chance for a while.
La Salle
There is no programme in all of men’s collegiate rowing with more upward momentum than the La Salle Explorers. Under the guidance of Ivo Krakic, they have risen from racing only in fours to establishing themselves as a consistent player on a national stage in just a few years, finishing a programme-best 15th at last year’s IRA championship. To this end, they stepped up to race in the championship eights at the Head of the Charles, and while the second eight had an eventful run defending their number 1 bow card in the collegiate eight, the top squad excelled, finishing 20th in a strong field. For the spring, they will have two major ambitions. Firstly, winning the Dad Vail crown for the first time since 1958, as they look to convert their three successive silver medals into a gold against a wider field following changes to IRA qualification rules. Their second goal will be more challenging as they look to continue moving up the totem pole on a national stage against more established rivals. This group has been very difficult to break into in recent years, but with the rate of improvement for La Salle in recent years, I wouldn’t count them out.
Holy Cross
Summer 2025 was supposed to be the crowning achievement for Holy Cross, their first qualification in the premier boat class at the IRA National Championships in a decade, and a once-in-a-generation trip to Henley Royal Regatta, where they pushed Oxford Brookes far closer than anyone could have expected. But with half of their top crew graduating over the summer, they were expected to take a step back. So far, though, they haven’t. The fall season began in style, winning their first-ever title at the Head of the Charles, as they won the collegiate eights. Add to the mix another top ten at the Princeton Chase, and the Crusaders will enter their winter break with confidence that they can have an even better season this spring.
Tufts
Perennial contenders at the division three level, the Tufts Jumbos have yet to be proclaimed national champions in the young history of their event. However, in 2025, they had their best-ever performance as a team, finishing second in the varsity eight and winning the second varsity eight and team points titles. All that is left for George Munger and his squad is to lift the Caldwell Cup, and 2026 appears to be a great opportunity. All but one of last year’s varsity eight have returned to the Malden River for this season, and the head season also showed good progress. The Jumbos finished second in the collegiate eight, besting all division three opposition at the Head of the Charles. However, this is not the first time they have been in this position at the start of the season, and the test will be whether they can maintain this position all the way to California at the end of May.
