When the University crew makes its official debut on the river against Pennsylvania next April it will be taking the first step in a schedule calculated to test its power to the limit. Not in years has a University eight faced a task such as is called for on this season's program, for not only does the crew card list the names of five of the leading combinations in the country, crews that have during past years won highest honors in intercollegiate rowing, but it contains many other racing features including the usual meets with M. I. T. and the American Henley at Philadelphia.
In Pennsylvania, which comes to Cambridge on April 29, for the opening event of the season, the University will meet a crew whose record, it is true, is not so impressive as those of the University's other rivals, but which may be expected to give the Crimson oarsmen a stiff race. On May 6 the championship crews of the Navy and Princeton come to Cambridge for the annual triangular meet. The same day last year saw the Tiger and Annapolis eights fighting desperately through the final stretch of the Carnegie Lake course, with Princeton the final winner, and the University boat well in the real, and though weakened by a few graduations the personnel of three two Combinations will be essentially the same.
The usual races with M. I. T. are scheduled to take place on May 13 over the Charles River route, with the annual clash between the winning class crews of Yale and the University dated for May 20 at New Haven.
The two races with Cornell on May 27 will be of special interest to all members of the University. Last year the Ithacana swamped the Crimson oarsmen over the Basin course of 1 5-8 miles, finishing three lengths in the lead, while the University Freshmen were defeating their powerful rivals in record time. This year Cornell can draw on all of the crew which last year defeated the Crimson, on most of her heavy University crew, which ranked high among the eights of the country, and on all of the 1924 crew, which won the Poughkeepsle race for Freshman eights.
Details concerning entries for the American Henley Regatta at Philadelphia have not yet been announced, but it is certain that the University will be well represented on May 27. At the races on the Schuylkill last May, both University crews which were entered had to be satisfied with fourth place in their events. Princeton won the race for Junior University shells: the Crimson B crew was fourth, defeating only the Yale entry. In the special event for 150-pound crews. Yale's light eight crossed the line first with Penn, Princeton, and the Crimson following in the order named.
In Yale the University will be sure to meet a worthy rival. Last year at New London now life was breathed into the disheartened Eli crew by the man who will again have charge of Yale's rowing--Coach Corderry, while are of the men who rowed on the victorious shell are again available. This year Yale starts with a reorganized system and with a clean record backed up by strong material. To defeat her crew on June 23 will undoubtedly be possible but it will surely demand all the ability and power the University can offer.
The race at New London will conclude a schedule which from start to finish will require a crew of the highest calibre to not the University her share of victories.
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