The UC Irvine men’s rowing team took first place in the varsity eight-man event at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association championship April 27 and 28 at Sacramento State’s Lake Natoma aquatic facility. UCI overcame such league rivals as UC Santa Barbara and UCLA to win its first WIRA championship title in 11 years. The UCI men’s rowing team, which has been part of Campus Recreation’s club sports program since 2009, practices daily at the UCI crew base in Newport Beach’s Back Bay. The Sacramento State Aquatic Center at Lake Natoma is regarded as the premier rowing venue on the West Coast.