Varsity Decisively Outrows Cornell, Records 8:55.3 in 2 1-2 Length Win

Obviously determined to show the country that its loss to M.I.T. in the E.A.R.C. race indicated nothing about its competency, the varsity crew out rowed Cornell by over two and a half lengths on the Charles Saturday.

At no point after the start was the contest a race. Cornell apparently left whatever stuff it had to win the Carnegie Cup a week ago in the Housatonic, and rowed only adequately. The Crimson rowed beautifully. Passengers aboard the press launch could only mutter incredible" as they watched the Harvard shell, consistently under stroking the Big Red, move constantly ahead.

So big was the Crimson oarsmen's lead over their rivals that they never had to sprint. Still they recorded their best time of the season for a mile and three-quarter course, 8:55.3 as against Cornell's 9:04.5. Rowing conditions were good; the water was slightly lumpy but there was no headwind.

As early as the quarter mile mark, the Crimson had a third of a length lead on Cornell and by the time the boats reached the half mile, with Harvard stroking at its customary 31, there was a bit of open water between the boats.

When the boats approached the mid-point of the course the Crimson shell was leading by one and a half lengths and stroke Louis McCagg took the beat down to between 29 and 30. Nevertheless his boat continued to pull away from Cornell which was stroking at 32 and 33.

Going under the Harvard Bridge, the mile point, the Crimson stretched its lead to two lengths and the worried Cornell stroke, Bill Denton, upped the count to 34. But a half mile later the gap between the shells widened to two and a half lengths rather than diminished.

Straining to save the situation somewhat, Cornell went up to 36, then 38, and a desperate 41. At the finish, however, Harvard, which gently had raised the count to 33 during the last yards, was still two and a half lengths in front.

During the entire race the Crimson oarsmen rowed smoothly, powerfully, and got the maximum run from each stroke. Cornell, on the other hand, stroked much less cleanly and frequently kicked up water.

In the J.V. race it was also Harvard all the way after an initial Cornell spurt, but the victory this time, by a length and a half, was not quite so overwhelming. The winning time was 9:03.4. Cornell's 9:09.5.

Cornell had grabbed a slight lead at the start by holding its high opening count of 40 for 15 strokes while the Crimson shell settled to 31 1-2 after an initial ten strokes at 36.

By the half mile, though, Harvard had a half length lead. Shortly after, Cornell, rowing at 33, closed in slightly, but as the boats passed the mile mark the Crimson had a speck of open water on its opponent.

Jovial over his crews' successes, coach Tom Bolles praised them generously after the regatta and revealed that the varsity had rowed the 2000 meter distance in a record-breaking 6:05 in practice before the E.A.R.C. and hence had chafed particularly about losing to Tech.

He then said that the crews would entrain June 8 to Red Top to practice for the Yale race. He promised that if they lost this year, it would not be for the same reason as in 1949-overconfidence. "We have a movie of last year's race," he said, "and it's the longest motion picture in the world of a four mile race. We'll watch that three times a week and twice on Thursdays.