Crimson Oarsmen Split Weekend Races

The members of the Harvard varsity light weight crew are building up pretty impressive wardrobes. So are their j.v. counterparts, for that matter.

In just two races this weekend, the Crimson oarsmen--thanks to the tradition of surrendering shirts to the victors in a crew race-- collected jerseys bearing the insignia of Dartmouth, MIT and the Coast Guard Academy

The lights also brought home the Biglin Bowl, which goes to the victor of the Harvard Dartmouth MIT contest which had been at the other end of Cambridge for the past twelve months

"It was an exciting way to start the season," said junior Greg Williams, a varsity oarsman

The first Harvard eight picked an exciting way to start the weekend too, beating out the Big Green on Saturday by half a second and leaving the Engineers in well the dust

Dartmouth put up a fight through the first half of the 2000 meter Charles River course, but at the 1200 meter mark of the MIT boathouse, despite the vociferous Tech and Green supporters. Harvard grabbed a lead it never relinquished

"We had a great start," said seven man Justin Kermond. "We did what we had to do to stay ahead."

Staying ahead involved holding off a ferocious Dartmouth rally in the last 500 meters of a choppy, windy course. The Hanoverians gained ground through the last quarter of the contest, but wound up two seats back at the conclusion

Once Harvard settled into a comfortable racing pace of 36 strokes per minute at the halfway point--down from a frantic 38 during the first 800 meters--it proved unstoppable

The j v did likewise, by an identical margin The Crimson second eight also foisted off a powerful Dartmouth rally by rowing at a steady 36 strokes per minute

"We basically rowed our own race the whole way--I don't think we were ever really flustered by them," said sophomore stroke Peter Herbig "The boat was a little shaky in practice and came together on race day"

Overcoming balance problems that came mainly from the water conditions Saturday both boats took it to the Coast Guard Academy yesterday at New London. Conn The varsity triumphed over the cadets by 14 seconds, and the j v notched an even more decisive 30 second margin.

Despite the open water between the shells the Harvard crews kept up their concentration through the non-contests. "It was a real confidence builder--not just the victory but the fact that we rowed well," said j.v. cox Mike Mollerus.

Despite fatigue from rowing two races in as many days, travelling to New London, and rowing on a choppier more open course than the Charles the oarsmen hung together for victories in which they corrected Saturday's flaws

Or as Kermond said of the opener. "Every one wanted to get out there and win right from the start, and that's what we did"

On the Charles

Varsity lightweight eights (Biglin Bowl): 1-HARVARD (bow Edd Fleming, 2-Jeff Nickel, 3-Ben Colourn, 4-Greg Williams, 5-Pat Bennell, 6-Paul Natterson, 7-Justin Kemond, stoke James Sheldon cox-Mike Philips), 5:58:2 Dartmouth 5:58:3 MIT 6 11 Junior varsity eights HARVARD (bow John Lawfor 2 Phil Talbert 3 Wally Obersmayer 4 Albert Legar 5 Scott Diugos 6 Trip Switzer 7 Bill Peterson stroke Peter Herbig, cox-Mike Mollerus) 6:11:2 Dartmouth 6:11:3 MIT 6:37.