CREWS GIVEN TIME TRIALS

Harvard Crew Quarters, Red Top, Conn., June 17, 1909.--Today's work for all the crews was the hardest since the arrival of the squads. As there was a strong south wind blowing straight down the course in the morning, the practice was necessarily very light. All the crews, except the Freshman four which went up into Moulthrop Inlet, rowed over to the west shore opposite the Freshman quarters at Red Top and paddled up and down over the last half-mile of the course. But in the afternoon the University crew was sent over the four-mile course on time. The University and second fours paced by the Freshman four for the last mile, were timed in a race over the last two miles of the course, and the Freshman eight was given a time row over the same course.

The time made by the University crew was 20 minutes, 55 seconds, which is exactly the same as that made by the Yale crew last night. The shell was towed down-stream to the start at the railroad bridge, by the "John Harvard," the members of the crew being taken in the launch. At the start the crew went off at the rate of 36 strokes to the minute, but the stroke was soon lowered to 32 and this rate was maintained until the last half-mile of the course, when it was raised gradually to 40 at the finish. Taken as a whole the rowing of the crew was good and the time fast, as there was no wind throughout the row except in one stretch opposite Cows Point, and the tide was not as strong as that which favored the Yale crew last night. Throughout the course the crew rowed well together, the boat spaced out well at 32 strokes to the minute, and continued to space a few feet even when the crew was rowing 40; the men finished strong and in good condition. Lunt's rowing at 2 was short however, and both Cutlers were often feathering too high. The crew has still to acquire a harder finish and a quick catch.

The time made by the University four, which finished about a length and a half behind the Freshmen, and the same distance ahead of the second four, was 11 minutes, 19 seconds. Hooper was still at stroke in the University four, and while the crew did well for the first mile, the second mile was rowed poorly. The crew did not seem able to raise the stroke, and was almost caught by the second four. Despite the fact that all the men in the Freshman four were rushing their slides and hurrying their work unnecessarily, the boat travelled fast and the crew gained steadily on the University four throughout the last mile.

The Freshman eight rowed over the last two miles of the course in 10 minutes, 16 seconds; which is considered very fair time in view of the fact that it was the crew's first time row over the course. Starting at 36, the crew averaged about 32 strokes for most of the row. At the finish the stroke went up as high as 40. Lack of a hard leg drive was the chief fault.