Heavyweight Crew Leaves For Pan-American Finals

The Harvard varsity heavyweight crew has fled the Charles River to begin its last week of practice before the Pan-American Rowing Championships.

The races will be held August 2 to 5 at Winnipeg, Canada. Harry Parker, coach of Harvard's undefeated heavies (who are also the heaviest heavies in Crimson history) has finished the two-week, twice-a-day workouts on the Charles and now is giving his rowers their final week's training. The Crimson will be employing the same lineup and tactics which it has used ever since the second race of the season.

Harvard gained the U.S. position at the championships by defeating the Vesper Boat Club, Penn, and other top crews at the July 1 trials. Two years ago, it was Vesper that upset Harvard in the American Olympic Trials. But this time the Harvard team was too strong and too smooth. It won by two lengths, and moving away at the finish.

For Harvard, the Pan-Am championships proved a test of its sturdiness against tough international competition. Only one Crimson rower is graduating from the team, and the others will definitely have an eye out for the Olympic Trials next year if they win convincingly next week.

The Pan-American games, a 20-event sports spectacle, will begin July 23 and continue through August 6. More than 3000 athletes from 24 countries are pouring into Winnipeg, which contains a 25,000 seat stadium. Prince Philip will declare the games open Friday.

In the track-and-field eventsh, the U.S. is strongly favored. A group of 15-18 year-old whizzes make the Americans favored in the swimming events also.