Columbia Underdog on River Today in Clash of Coaching Methods

Along the dirty waters of the Harlem river, and sometimes out into the vaster but not much cleaner Hudson, the crews of Columbia University have been rowing this week in a drive to beat Harvard and Tech on the Charles today.

All through the early part of the season the Lions, seriously handicapped by the choppy water which kept them off the larger river, were confined to the Harlem. Then came calmer weather and with it a cessation of those short paddles.

Now Columbia is driving far up the Hudson, under the Palisades, often as far as Yonkers, trying to iron out the faults which kept them in Yale's wake last week.

Interesting If Not Close

Today's should be an interesting race even if Columbia has not developed enough to make it a close one, for the Lion's style of rowing is the antithesis of that taught here by Tom Bolles. Under a system devised by Old dick 'Pop' Glendon, this Light Blue style involves the use of a slow recovery, a long reach, a long layback.

The trouble with the way this style is working out so far this season is a lack of weight. Because it involved such a long stroke, it is a tiring way of rowing and the Lion oarsmen haven't got too much power. They must make up in form and oarsmanship what they lack in poundage.

The most powerful of the Columbia crews will be the 150 pound beat. The 150's beat Yale by a quarter of a length on the Harlem last Saturday--the only Morning side eight to win a race in that Blackwell Regatta.

Freshmen

Aside from this race, it looks like comparatively smooth sailing for Crimson boats. The Freshmen from Columbia are not very strong, and Harvey Love's fast improving outfit should be able to set them back by about a length.

As for the Varsity and the Jayvees, a walkaway like last week's is not probable, but Bolles' two boats should swing down that mile and three-quarter course and cross the finish line with some open water between them and their opponents.

The Jayvee race is the last event on the program and features a clash between Harvard. Tech and the Union Boat Club. Bolles' second string eight proved last week that they could take Tech by something around seven lengths; and Union B. C. beat the third Varsity by a narrow margin early in the week. But because the Jayvees are so far superior to the third beat, Union does not seem to stand much of a chance today.