THE bad weather of the first part of the week interfered somewhat with the class crews, but they have all been working faithfully. Very few changes will probably be made in the men or their positions during the two weeks which remain before the day of the race. The form has been steadily improving, although the want of suitable coaches is felt by some of the crews.
The Junior crew, on the whole, still pull in the best form. Their stroke, however, has several faults. It hangs somewhat, and is not carried through; it is sluggish on the shoot, and the catch is not well marked. The dip is also too deep, time not well marked, and feather rather uneven. Bow, two, six, and eight clip, and three and five bucket. Bow, two, four, six, and seven do not reach out far enough, and three and five over-reach. No change has been made in the men since they were last published. The average weight is 161 lbs.
The Sophomores have improved immensely of late, owing to the return of four men of their last year's crew, and their chances for the first place have greatly increased. The catch is not yet good, the feather is uneven, and all the men are inclined to bucket. Bow is not in good form; two does n't reach far enough, and does n't hold to his slide on the catch; three does n't pull his oar through, and swings out on the finish; four buckets, and fails to get his full reach; five meets badly, and feathers too high; six does n't get a full finish, and pushes too little with his legs; seven does n't swing out straight, and dips too deeply on the catch; stroke hastens his recovery too much. The crew are as follows:-
1. Atkinson 145 lbs.
2. Swan 141 lbs.
3. Hammond 155 lbs.
4. Hemenway 146 lbs.
5. Foster 145 lbs.
6. Bell 164 lbs.
7. Howard 160 lbs.
8. Brandegee 170 lbs.
Average weight 153 lbs.
The Law School crew is doing, and needs to do, the most vigorous work of any of the crews, composed as it is of such mixed material, which must be shaken well together in two weeks. Stroke is the best oar on the river, outside of the 'Varsity, and has really no noticeable faults. Seven is strong and rows well, though he uses his arms too much. Six reaches out well, and dips his oar just right, but lacks vigor and snap. Five is rather short, but works hard; he slurs over the separate parts of the stroke, hurrying it all together too much, and gets his oar out too soon. Four reserves all his force for the last part of the stroke, using his back to little purpose, and in the recover buckets badly. Three, though strong, has rowed as little as any man on the river; he swings stiffly and irregularly, and has not yet acquired a good control of his oar. Two is another short man, but strongly made; he has the varying faults caused by a frequent looking out of the boat, and does not row as hard as a man of his strength should. Bow, the lightest man in the crew, is, next to stroke, the hardest worker, and one of the best oars in the boat. A large part of this strong crew is so raw that little reliance can yet be put upon them. The crew is made up as follows:-
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Rules under which the Class Races will be Rowed.