Regatta Won By Kirkland

Shooting to an open-water lead after 300 meters, Kirkland House's powerful crew demolished four other eight en route to the House championship yesterday on the Charles.

The 1500-meter victory earned Kirkland 100 points in the annual intramural Straus Cup competition. A distant second by 19 seconds. Winthrop nudged Mather by less than a boat length. Eliot and Quincy were fourth and fifth respectively.

The outcome of the race was never really in question. Kirkland, stroked by Gene Labarre, who rowed number four in the Harvard JV boat at the Eastern Sprints, broke quickly from the line with Mather and Winthrop. When the crews settled, Kirkland moved ahead for good.