Lightweights Battle Navy in Haines Cup Race

The Crimson lightweights, buoyed by an impressive 16-second victory over MIT and Dartmouth in the Biglin Bowl race, take on a powerful Navy eight today in the Haines Cup race on the Charles.

The Midshipmen, who impressed everyone with a strong showing in the Head of the Charles Regatta last fall, have shaped up as one of the toughest crews in the East this spring. The Middies are rated by many as one of the top three teams in the East, along with Harvard and Princeton. Navy should provide the Crimson with the stiffest challenge it has faced this year.

With this in mind, Steve Gladstone's varsity has been working all week at increasing the racing cadence for today's contest. Harvard settled at 32-321/2 last weekend and Gladstone would like to see the Crimson increase that to 33 or 34 for Navy. Harvard seems to have the personnel to make the change successfully.

Endurance Plus

"We've got the endurance," coxswain Jay Galeski said yesterday. "It's just a matter of getting the boat going faster. Building up the cadence should do that."

If Harvard is to do well today, the lightweights will have to put together a solid performance. The Crimson cannot afford to let down. As the top lightweight power in the East, Harvard's role is like that of the gunfighter who had reached the top. Everyone is eager to test the best. and the Midshipmen, with an attitude that would bring a smile to Creighton Abrams, are gunning for the Crimson.

"This is our biggie," Major Skip Sweetser, the Navy coach, said on Thursday, "Harvard is a perennial power and we really want to do well. They haven't been beaten in a long time and that is something to school for." Harvard's lightweights haven't lost an intercollegiate race since Gladstone took over as coach in 1968.

Despite the fact that Navy was shell-shocked by Princeton, losing by over 8 seconds, Crimson captain Howie Burnett feels that today's race will be a tough encounter. "The Middies are always in such good condition, we'll really have to row hard for the whole 2000 meters," he feels that today's race will be a tough said yesterday. "They are a tough group

Sweetser feels that the loss to Princeton is not indicative of his team's true capabilities. "Coming up against Harvard and Princeton early in the season puts a lot of pressure on us, since they are both such tough boats. We are a lot better than the Princeton race might suggest."

Gladstone will go with the same lineup that was so successful for Harvard last week. Pete Huntsman will again row bow, with Burnett at two, Andy Narva at three, Phin Sprague at four, Jim Richardson at five, Rick Eustus as six and George Host at seven. Tony Brooks will again stroke for the varsity with Galeski coxing.

In JV action today Harvard will meet a tough challenge from Navy. The Middies's second boat has put together some times that are nearly as good as Navy's first boat.

Race time is at 11:15 a.m. for the varsity, 10:45 a.m. for the JV today. Action will take place on the Charles River Basin.