Leverett Snags House Crew Title

The champagne was flowing Tuesday, the Dowlings were smiling, and the house crew trophy belonged to Leverett.

After 31 years.

That's right, the last time the Leverett crew won the yearly race was in 1955.

And the only link anyone could find between the 1955 crew and this year's champion was a telegram Leverett House Master John Dowling received from Harvey Grasfield.

You see, in 1955, Harvey Grasfield coxed the winning crew. And in 1986, David Grasfield picked up where his father left off and helped Leverett to a one and one-half length upset victory over higher seeded Eliot, the traditional favorite, and a strong Dunster squad.

This year's showdown was set up through a series of elimination heats.

All houses are invited to have up to three boats in the experienced division and three in the novice class. Then all teams are given about four hours a week in the tanks until the beginning of April. Between then and the race, the teams are to allowed to practice on the river only between 6 and 9 a.m.

The top two finishers of each of the three qualifying heats automatically make the final race. The other two crews are chosen by a consolation race between all the heat losers.

"Start fast, race fast, and win was our strategy," said I everett howman Alan Bauer, "and practice as little as possible."

Sounds like a good strategy, but Eliot had won the race eight of the last nine years.

Leverett had a good start in Tuesday's final and led the whole way. "It was very exciting to see us pull out ahead in the end," Dowling said.

The Leverett eight have more on their minds than just sitting on their victory and waiting for next year. "Our goal now is to go to Henley, we're all excited, we really want to go," said Bauer.

In the past, Eliot House Master Alan Heimert has sponsored his house's crew for the trip to Henley Regatta whenever they won. The Leverett crew is hoping to raise the funds for the trip before year's end.

"We aren't going there to win, we just want to do the best we can, have a good time, and bring back some pictures and things for Leverett," Bauer said.