And right now that goal is clear. Win Sprints. After that, the team will turn its focus to its traditional race with Yale then the IRA National Championships. All three races will take place after the school year has ended.

“We’re just bucking down for Sprints now,” Lapage said. “And we’re looking to get the rowing just right.”

“We still have the sprints and nationals ahead of us,” Jordan added. “And all the boats are in the top couple seeds for eastern sprints now.”

Last year Harvard secured first place at the Sprints and went on to take fourth at the IRA National Championships. This year’s team is confident that it is ready to improve on that achievement.

“Everyone in the boat is much stronger than we were last season,” DiSanto said. “And I think we’re still trying to harness all the energy and all the power that’s in the boat. I think we’ve had some good races but the best is still yet to come ... I can speak for the varsity and say that we’ve haven’t yet reached our best races.”

—Staff writer Cayla C. Calderwood can be reached at ccalderwood@college.harvard.edu.