M. Crew Optimistic About National Prospects

Will life be "but a dream" for Harvard's oarsmen this season?

Without a doubt, Harvard men's heavyweight crew captain Didzis Voldins certainly hopes so.

"The year is looking really good," Voldins said. "We have put in a lot of training over the winter. The four finalists we had at the Crash-B erg races at MIT this winter show how much training we have put in. A lot of guys have gotten a lot stronger and a lot quicker."

While there is an old crew saying about ergometers not winning races, Voldins has much to be optimistic about. Harvard returns five oarsmen--Voldins, Adam Holland, Colin Chant, Jay Hammond and Nick Peterson--from last year's formidable varsity eight. Voldins, Holland and much-improved Oliver Rando are all vying for spots on the U.S. National Team.

"It is a good squad," Parker said. "I am particularly impressed by the leadership that the seniors have provided. It is a very motivated group. They have worked very hard and have gotten others to work, too."

Unlike last season, when Harvard could not get onto the sacred Charles until mid-March, Mother Nature has cooperated admirably this year.

Time on the water is always one of the keys to early-season success and while coach Harry Parker always wants more, he'll take what he can get.

"I think things are going well," Parker said, in his incredible 32nd season. "Last year was the latest we got on the water in fifteen years. While we certainly have been out early in previous years, we are far ahead of where we were last year."

There is still much work to be done.

While the nucleus of the team is very much in place, boat composition is still yet to be decided. Both oarsmen and cox line-up decisions, for example, will be made during the famous, grueling two-a-day sessions of Spring Break.

"We will know much more when the break ends," Voldins said.

Harvard kicks off its 135th season at the San Diego Classic--its first taste of boat-to-boat competition since the Head of the Charles Regatta. The race, held April 9 and 10, features crews from arch-rival Yale and Princeton along with UCLA, University of Washington, Cal-Berkley and Stanford.

The Classic--in which Harvard was second to Washington last season--is the first chance to work out all the kinks and bugs that only competition brings out.

More importantly, San Diego is the first indication of how far various teams have progressed over the long winter.

"San Diego is our only chance to see what the West Coast is doing," Voldins said. "We were pretty surprised last year to see Washington emerge as one the leaders."

Harvard will only see left- coast teams again if it qualifies for the National Championships at Cincinnati. While Brown is the pre-season pick, Harvard undoubtedly has the horses to make a run.

"Brown has lost a lot of its superstars," Voldins said. "We look at ourselves as the underdogs. But I think that that is a good way to look at things."

Voldins mentioned that he is trying to get the team to peak for a dual meet at Brown for the Stein Trophy. Brown took the trophy for the first time in eight seasons last year.

Parker stresses that there are many races between now and then. It is much too early to look to Cincinnati or even to the Stein Trophy.

"We have a very long season ahead before we can even begin to think about Cincinnati," Parker said. "You can have a very good season without winning the National Championship."

Nevertheless, Voldins and his fellow oarsmen would be more-than-happy to row, row, row their boat back to a championship-a championship they last garnered two years ago.

And if the everything goes as planned, life will certainly be "but a dream" again.