WEST WINDSOR, N.J. -- The Bates men's rowing team impressed on the first day of the IRA National Championship regatta, highlighted by the men's first varsity eight finishing second in their heat Friday on Mercer Lake. 

"Both crews executed their race plans for the heats properly and have put themselves into good position for the finals tomorrow," said head coach Peter Steenstra.

With the top three teams in each heat advancing to Saturday's grand final, the Bates 1V raced to the finish of the 2K course in 5:58.569, good for second out of four crews. Led by senior coxswain Aidan Braithwaite (Milton, Mass.) and first-year stroke George Fauver (Bedford, N.Y.), the Bobcats placed just 1.9 seconds behind heavy favorite (and NESCAC champion) Williams. Bates edged fellow NESCAC foe Trinity for runner-up in the race, as the Bantams crossed the finish line in 5:59.059. 

Williams, Bates, and Trinity advanced to the grand final out of the first 1V heat, while Wesleyan, Tufts, and WPI advanced to the grand final out of the second 1V heat. The Cardinals won their heat in 6:02.935, with no change in weather conditions. That mark would have been fourth in the Bobcats' race. 

In the early afternoon, the Bates second varsity eight competed in a race for lanes for Saturday's grand final. With not as much at stake as the 1V race, the Bobcats took fourth in 6:35.656. Williams won the 2V race in 6:21.442. 

Friday's races set the stage for the D3 national championship on Saturday. The Bates 1V will be in lane three for their grand final at 9:14 a.m. The Bates 2V will be in lane six for their grand final at 9:22 a.m. Fans can watch the action live on YouTube.

Bates MV8 lineup: Bow: Benjamin MacDonald; 2: Sean Christiansen; 3: Luke Desmaison; 4: Benjamin Auerbach; 5: Oliver Firmenich; 6: Isaac Levinger; 7: Charlie Berman; Stroke: George Fauver; c: Aidan Braithwaite

Bates M2V8 lineup: Bow: Riley Young; 2: Andrew Frey; 3: Samuel Marchman; 4: Charles Renvyle; 5: Timothy Bates; 6: Conor McGuckin; 7: Kelly McKaige; Stroke: Ian Van Loo; c: Isabel Beck

Spares: William Conway, Jack Stephenson, Micah Shimizu (cox)