Heavies Grab San Diego Classic

Harvard's heavyweight crew thundered back into national prominence Saturday with a convincing with over five of the nation's best crews before 15,000 at the San Diego Crew Classic.

Coach Harry Parker's varsity opened an early lead on the 2000 meter course, expanded the bulge to a length and a half at 1500 meters through the race and cruised to triumph in 6:12.5, ahead of California (6:16.9), Wisconsin (6:20.6), Pennsylvania (6:23.7), Brown (6:24.4) and Navy (6:24.6).

California and Penn jumped out quickly until Harvard, a small team by Parker standards, averaging 6-ft.-2 in. and 185-lbs., could rev up to a cadence of 35 strokes per minute and challenge for the lead.

The oarsmen moved into the lead with 350 meters gone and steadily pulled away until, at 1200 meters, they left California and Wisconsin fighting for the scraps of second place.

"From 1200 on, it was clear we were going to win. California and Wisconsin were really going at it for second so they caught up a little, but there was no doubt we had it," coxswain Harry You said yesterday.

Six of the nine men in the Harvard boat rowed together on the same freshman crew boat: the second frosh squad ever to take the Thames Challenge of the Henley Regatta. This year's heavies have established a camraderie unusual even by crew's familial standards.

"People were really surprised by how emotionally we reacted, but we've been together for so long. We're many times closer than the usual team," You said.

"Eight of the nine guys in our frosh boat are still rowing. Most classes only have around two," he added.

The Crimson finished fourth at San Diego last year behind Washington, Penn and California. The defending champion Huskies faltered badly in the six-boat heats, coming in fourth and failing to qualify for the final.

In the preliminary heat Harvard breezed to a first place finish by open water over California and Navy. Last year's Intercollegiate Rowing Association champion, Syracuse, a favorite in Saturday's race, finished fourth and did not qualify for the finals.

In the other heat, Northeastern, another crew with great expectations, entered the bleak house with a non-qualifying fourth place.

Harvard's J.V. boat also won its event, thrashing Northeastern, Orange Coast College, California, Washington and Navy. The third Crimson boat placed third in its race, behind Orange Coast and Humbolt State.

The varsity eight returns to the Charles on April 21 for the annual Stein Cup encounter with Brown. Parker touted the Bruins as a threat to take the San Diego title and Brown coach Vic Michelson vociferously concurred with Parker's assessment in pre-meet statements to the San Diego press. Says cox You: "They're going to be out to get us after what we did to them."