Leaving the second eight four lengths behind, the Harvard crew finished its strenuous training for Saturday's race by covering the mile and three-quarters course in 9 minutes 10 2-5 seconds under none too favorable conditions. The Crimson oarsmen put a splendid exhibition in their last time trial before the race with Pennsylvania and M. L. T., tarning in time which is a record for this season on the Basin and compares well with the best clocking turned in in the past.
Platt Back in Number 5 Seat.
The Harvard crew, materially strengthened by the return of Captain Geoffrey Platt '27 to the number 5 seat, pulled steadily away from the second eight. The time is especially impressive considering the sharp cross wind which kicked up a considerable chop in the lower Basin. Two years ago the 1928 Freshman crew made exactly the same time in a mile and three-quarters time trial, but on that occasion conditions were much more favorable. The second crew, stroked by C. McK. Norton '29. finished far behind but made fairly good time nevertheless.
The Pennsylvania crews, University, seconds, and Freshman, arrive at nine o'clock this morning and will be quartered at the Newell Boathouse, rowing both this morning and this afternoon, and probably twice tomorrow also. The Yale 150-pound crew and the Yale Junior class crew, which will face the Crimson lightweights and Sophomore crew, respectively, as the preliminary to the Saturday regatta, will arrive here this afternoon in time for an evening row. They will stay at the Weld Boat Club.
Harvard Favored Saturday
The Harvard crew will go into Saturday's race a favorite. The severe drubbings handed to M. I. T. and Pennsylvania by the Navy, coupled with the narrow margin of victory gained by the Annapolis oarsmen over Harvard, and the splendid showing of the Watts-stroked eight yesterday, makes it appear that Harvard will win its first victory under the regime of-Head Coach E. J. Brown '96. The crew is by no means certain of victory, however, for its opponents raced Navy early in the season and have had plenty of time to improve. Pennsylvania trailed Yale by five lengths two weeks ago.
The race for second crews is a very doubtful proposition, but the Crimson second eight has been rowing consistently well and has a good chance of victory, considering its win over the Navy and the latter's triumph over Tech. The Freshman race is impossible of prognostication, for the only thing known about the Harvard 1930 crew is that it is from two to four lengths faster than the Sophomore eight and can always keep ahead of the University 150-pound crew. Neither of the latter crews is favored to win its race on Saturday, but the lightweights, untested save for a defeat at the hands of Kent School's powerful oarsmen, may give Yale, victor by a few feet over Tech last Saturday, a surprise. The Sophomore crew will have to show marked improvement to cross the line at the end of the West Boston Bridge ahead of the Blue 1928 shell
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