Scientific School of Harvard, the then top-ranked amateur crew of the time. The distance of the course was three miles. 1872 – Princeton's first intercollegiate race, at the National Amateur Regatta, Philadelphia. 1875 – Wellesley College established the first women's rowing program. 1878 – Columbia wins the Visitors' Challenge Cup and becomes the first foreign crew to win at the Henley Royal Regatta. 1891 – The Intercollegiate Rowing Association was founded by Cornell, Columbia, and Pennsylvania: its first annual regatta was hosted on June 24, 1895. Today Navy and Syracuse are also members of the association. Cornell dominates the early regattas winning 14 of the first 23 varsity 8 races. 1903 – The University of Washington established a men's and women's rowing program, and beat the University of California in their first dual. 1908 – Princeton completes the construction of Lake Carnegie, the gift of Andrew Carnegie, as its rowing venue. 1916 – Lightweight rowing was first introduced at the University of Pennsylvania. 1920 – Navy wins the gold medal at the 1920 Summer Olympics in the eight-man (8+) boat. US collegiate boats would win the gold medal in the 8+ at the next seven Olympics. 1922 – The first Harvard-Yale-Princeton lightweight race is held on May 20. 1923 – Washington is the first team from the west coast to win the varsity 8 title at the IRA regatta. Between 1920 and 1950, California, Navy and Washington would dominate college rowing winning 21 of the 25 varsity titles at the IRA and five Olympic titles in the eight-man boat. 1924 – Yale varsity men's 8 wins Olympic gold in Paris 1928 – The University of California varsity men's 8 wins the Olympic gold medal in Amsterdam. 1932 – The University of California varsity men's 8 wins its second Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles. 1936 – Washington varsity men's 8 wins Olympic gold in Berlin, Germany at the 'Nazi games'. 1946 – The Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC) is formed and the first Eastern Sprints is held for lightweights and heavyweights. 1948 – The University of California varsity men's 8 wins its third Olympic gold at Henley in London.*1956 – Yale varsity men's 8 wins Olympic gold in Melbourne Australia 1948 – Princeton becomes the first American lightweight crew to win a championship at Henley (the Thames Cup). 1963 – Harry Parker becomes coach of Harvard. 1971 – Collegiate