Crimson win 147th Harvard-Yale Regatta

Harvard won the 147th Harvard-Yale Regatta on Saturday, completing the 4-mile downstream race on the Thames River in 19 minutes, 41.3 seconds.

Yale finished in 19:51.2.

Harvard is 93-54 in the nation's oldest intercollegiate sporting event, winning 12 of the last 13 matchups. The Crimson finished perfect in dual completion for the second straight year and third time in four years.

"These guys are very, very good racers," said Harvard coach Harry Parker, in his 50th year at the program's helm. "Every time they go on the line, they do a good job. And they did today. That was a really very solid row, a very strong effort."

Harvard swept the races Saturday, winning the freshman and junior varsity races, as well.

The Crimson varsity boat took the early lead and never relinquished it.

"We were fortunate to be able to do that," Parker said. "They worked hard to make that happen. Yale did a great job of hanging in there and pushing them. They certainly didn't back off at any point. I thought it was a strong effort on the part of the Yale crew."

Yale last won the Harvard-Yale Regatta in 2007 and has been swept in all four races - including the combination race Friday - the last five years.

"This is how you'll be remembered," Harvard senior captain Mike DiSanto said. "You don't want to be remembered on a loss."