Bolles Not Depressed Over Defeat by Cornell

Delving into history, Tom Bolles has derived some solace about Saturday's defeat by comparing it with events of a year ago, when the Crimson "won its first two races by one grant and lost the next by two grunts."

It takes a crew time to develop, and so far the Varsity is still below maximum efficiency, so defeats now don't necessarily spell the end of Olympic chances in June. The sub-arctic condition of the Charles in the early part of the season has much to do with this slow development, giving the crews of more tropical climes an advantage in April and May.

This bodes no good for the next item on Bolles' agenda, a race with Navy and Penn at Philadelphia on Saturday. The Middies, with seven returnees from last year, are generally regarded as Harvard's biggest rival in the East, and at this early date are much further along than their more northerly rival.

Navy Favored

So Bolles will consider himself fortunate if his pupils appear at the finish line of the 1 and 5/16 mile course in first place Saturday afternoon, despite the fact that Jud Gale is back warming his old number five slide again.

Pennsylvania, the third party in this race, is not expected to cause as much trouble, at least on the basis of past performance.

Even a trimming at the hands of Navy will not leave Bolles too depressed, nor will it nip the Crimson's Olympic hopes before they have a chance to bloom. Contrary to popular belief, qualification for the trials in June is not based on the situation in the win and loss columns, but merely on the filling out of an application form.

Musing over the Cornell race, Bolles feels disappointment but no bitterness. "That was no place for boys," says the coach. "I hate like hell to lose any race, but we did a fine job, and it took a fine crew to beat us."

He feels that a little more practice will smooth out the Varsity's style in the long, steady pull in mid-race. And a few more weeks of training will give them added stamina for the crucial sprint.