Harvard Wins Men’s Championship Eights at Head of the Charles Regatta for First Time Since 1977

The Harvard men's varsity eight took a page out of the Boston Bruins' book at this year's Head of the Charles Regatta, ending a lengthy championship drought with a title.

The Crimson, which last won the Men's Championship Eights event at the Head of the Charles Regatta in 1977, took home the crown on Sunday with a time of 14:17.678. That time was good enough to hold off the U.S. Rowing Center and the reigning national collegiate champion, Washington.

The victory marks Harvard's third in the event's 47-year history. The Crimson staged a big rally at last year's event, but it eventually fell short of Washington. Harvard's win also marks the first back-to-back victories at the event for U.S. colleges since 1982-83, when the U.S. Naval Academy won the third and fourth of its four straight titles.

The University of Virginia, meanwhile, took home the women's side of the event. Finishing with a time of 16:11.519, Virginia passed defending champion Princeton early on and never looked back.

Click here for a recap of Day 1 of the Head of the Charles Regatta.

Click here for a recap of Day 2 of the Head of the Charles Regatta.