CAMDEN, N.J.--Hobart won the gold medal in the freshman four event at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships this afternoon. John Michael Chadonic (The Lawrenceville School/New York, N.Y.), Tim Faxon (Salisbury/Pelham, N.Y.), Gavin Johnstone-Butcher (St. Paul's School/Bulawayo, Zimbabwe), Gardner Loring (Middlesex/Duxbury, Mass.), and coxswain Dan Gilbert (Brighton/Rochester, N.Y.) captured the title with an eight-second victory over the University of Southern California.

The Statesmen earned a spot in the grand final with an impressive open-water victory in their preliminary heat on Thursday. Hobart covered the 2,000-meter course in 6:32.70, the fastest time of any freshmen four in the prelims and more than 10 seconds ahead of second place Columbia University.

In the Grand Final, the Statesmen were the lone Division III representative, staring down Dartmouth, Harvard, Navy, Southern Cal, and Temple. Hobart's four showed no signs of intimidation, covering the course in 6:53.65, well ahead of the second place Trojans (7:01.08).

The Statesmen's varsity eight, which was making its first appearance in the IRAs, placed fourth in the fourth level final (22nd overall). Hobart was the only Division III school competing in the 24-team varsity eight event.

Overall, the Statesmen finished 27th out of 52 in the Ten Eyck standings.