The Columbia Lightweight crew claims a thrilling victory by 11-tenths of a second in a time of 5:52.48. The Yale boat, in the foreground, finished second with a time of in 5:52.59.

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The Columbia Lightweight Crew, seeded fourth entering the weekend, pulled off a stunner on Sunday, May 21, as the Light Blue out-stroked Yale in a thrilling finish to claim the Championship of the Eastern Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Columbia, tied with Yale with three strokes to go, showed its strength by winning the race by less than a foot and 11-tenths of a second in a time of 5:52.48. Yale finished in 5:52.59, while Harvard crossed in 5:55.63 for third. It was the first time in the history of the event, which began in 1946, that Columbia won the title.

Meanwhile, the Heavyweights finished in third place in the Petite finals, bested by Penn and Yale.