Crimson Crews Sweep Six Races As Heavyweights Set New Record

The heavyweight varsity crew set a new course record Saturday, capping off the most successful day for Harvard crews on the Charles River in recent history. The Crimson swept all six races in the Compton and Biglin Cup regattas.

Easily defeating Princeton, Dartmouth, M.I.T. and B.U., the heavyweight varsity rowed the mile-and-three-quarters course in 8:45 flat, shaving five-tenths of a second off the previous record set by Cornell in 1952. This was the second year in a row the Crimson set a record in winning the Compton Cup, having broken the old mark on Lake Carnegie last year.

Previously, the lightweight crew captured the five year old Biglin Bowl for the fourth straight year, as the varsity impressively trounced Dartmouth by almost two lengths. M.I.T. ended five-and-a-half-lentgths back.

The pattern of victory was nearly the same in every race. Crimson crews usually gained two or three seats on their thirty stroke racing start and then continued to lead all the way, slowly opening a wider and wider gap between itself and the crews fighting closely for second place. The only exception was in the lightweight freshmen's race, where Dart- mouth finished a mere deck length behind the faltering Crimson shell.

If conditions had not changed for the varsity heavyweight's race, the last of the afternoon, there would have been no chance for setting a record, since most of the crews were rowing into a head wind. But the breeze shifted just before the last race, giving the varsity a favorable tail wind.

Displaying fine power and control all the way, the varsity was never in doubt of victory after its tremendous racing start at a 42-33-32 gave it a four seat jump on Princeton--the only challenger throughout the race. Within the first half mile, the eight had three quarters of a length on the Tiger shell, a full length on Dartmouth, and over two on both Tech and B.U.

The Tigers, rowing a higher beat than the varsity shell, fell back to a length but appeared to be moving up a little bit coming through the Mass. Ave. bridge. Then Crimson stroke Perry Boyden started pouring on the steam. Still moving at 32, the smooth-rowing varsity boat suddenly pulled out a long half length in the next quarter mile.

Harvard pushed the stroke up at the end to a 38 as it crossed the finish line two lengths ahead of the struggling Tiger boat.

In the heavyweight J.V. race, Dartmouth took second place two-and-one-half-lengths behind the Crimson by pulling away from Princeton in the last quarter of a mile. Time for the J.V. contest was a much slower 9:30.6, since stiff head winds in the middle of the race forced the Crimson stroke down to 30.

Summary of Compton Cup Regatta. Varsity: Harvard, 8:45; Princeton, 8:53.2; Dartmouth, 8:58.6; M.I.T., 9:09.3; B.U., 9:18.6. Winning margin, 2 lengths. Junior Varsity: Harvard, 9:30.6; Dartmouth, 9:40.7; Princeton, 9:45.1; M.I.T., 9:53.5. Winning margin, 2 1/2 lengths. Freshman: Harvard, 9:48; Princeton, 9:52.7; Dartmouth, 10:07.8; M.I.T., 10:16.2; B.U., 10:23. Winning margin, 1 1/4 lengths.

Summary Biglin Bowl Regatta. Varsity: Harvard, 7:14.6; Dartmouth, 7:21.9; M.I.T., 7:36.8. Winning margin, 2 lengths. Junior Varsity: Harvard, 7:21; Dartmouth, 7:37.1; M.I.T., 8:00. Winning margin, 4 lengths. Freshman: Harvard, 7:35; Dartmouth, 7:36.1; M.I.T., 7:39.1. Winning margin, 1/4 length