PENN AND M.I.T. LEAD CRIMSON CREW IN CHARLES REGATTA

The decisive victory of the 1929 crew in the opening race of the Harvard-Penn-M.I.T. regatta last Saturday was the only bright spot in a day marked by five Crimson rowing defeats. In the feature race of the afternoon the University crew trailed Pennsylvania and M.I.T. by 'a length and a half and half a length respectively.

The Penn Junior boat foreshadowed the Senior victory by leading Tech and Harvard across the finish line with two lengths to spare. Earlier in the afternoon the University lightweights rowed a losing race against Tech's 150-pound combination. While these boats were losing over the familiar Charles River course, the Freshman 150-pounders and the Junior A. class champions, were suffering a similar fate at Derby at the hands of Yale Sophomore and first 150-pound outfits.

Big Freshmen Lead From Start

It was Coach Haines' big Freshman New that gave the late afternoon regatta on the Basin its only Crimson tinge. The first year shell pulled out in the lead at the start and was never threatened. Tech passed Penn for a close second which was the first of the three captured by the Engineers during the afternoon.

In the University race it was a battle between Penn and Tech all the way with Harvard never quite near enough to make a dangerous bid for first place After the first eighth mile. Penn began to forge ahead with Tech's prow holding on about half a length in the rear. Harvard, a length behind, had dropped its stroke to 34 two points lower than Penn's. A little before the crews came to the bridge Tech started a sprint which carried it ahead of the Quaker crew.

The latter, however, retaliated going under the bridge and gradually pushed to the front again. With a third of a mile left to row Captain Winthrop put the Crimson stroke up to 40 and the University shell began to gain. But the leaders were not to be denied their victory, and Penn fighting off the Crimson spurt swept across the finish line with Tech still hanging on a bare half length behind.

Before the start of the triangular regatta, the University and M.I.T. light-weight crews staged the race which had been called off on the previous day. The powerful Tech oarsmen struck out in the lead from the beginning and increased their advantage throughout the race. They finished at least two and a half lengths ahead of their Crimson rivals. This victory gives Tech an undefeated season with victories over all the members of the Big Three.

In the Junior race Penn was never threatened throughout the mile and three-quarters course. The Quaker seconds jumped into an initial lead rowing the high stroke of 40 and then dropping the beat a few points to a strong steady Jail they continued to draw away from the other two boats. At the finish they had at least a three and a half length advantage over Tech, which was in turn leading Harvard by something under a length.

At Derby both Crimson crews were clearly outclassed by their Blue opponents. Both the Yale class champions and Freshman 150-pounders led their races from the start, finishing two and a half and two lengths respectively in the lead.