Outrowing the Tech and Harvard University crews three and four lengths respectively, defeating the Crimson Freshmen by almost two lengths, and losing the jayvee race with only seven men rowing for the last half mile, three Cornell crews virtually made a clean sweep of the races on the Charles River Basin last Saturday.
The Cornell University crew triumphing over Harvard for the first time since 1921, displayed an ease and form in rowing which proved entirely too much for Coach Brown's first string crew, which could keep up with the Ithacans only by rowing a stroke which was too high for their own efficiency. Harvard jumped ahead on both the false start and the second one, but soon lost its lead, barely keeping abreast of its two rivals until G.W. Behrman, Coach Wray's new prodigy stroke man, caught a crab just above the Harvard Bridge and dislocated the whole crew Bridge and dislocated the whole crew for a couple of strokes, losing three quarters of a length.
Ithacans Start Drive
Harvard supporters thought this a lucky accident whereby the Crimson narsmen would gain the moral advantage of about a length's lead. It turned out very much the opposite, however, for Behrman brought his crew together admirably, and, raising the stroke tow or three points, again restored a driving rythm to his shell which made it regain the lost territory and go forging past the two Cambridge crews.
In Lead at Mile
At the mile mark Cornell had a decided lead which stretched longer and longer as the three crew swept down towards the northeast corner of the Basin. With the winner out ahead, Harvard and Tech were left to fight it out for second place. Here the latter's lighter weight which allowed them to ride clear of the waves and their ability to stick to Harvard with a lower pace then S. W. Swaim '31 had been setting for his crew, proved the decisive factors. As the Engineers raised the beat in the final quarter mile they passed the Crimson oarsmen who did not have the reserve energy to increase their speed materially.
Cornell covered the course in 9 minutes, 27 and 3-5, seconds, with Tech trailing in 9:40 and 3-5, and Harvard in 9:45 and 2-5. At the finish the shells were practically awash but all reached to Union Boat Club float before sinking.
The Jayvees, however, were not so fortunate. Their race came off over an hour earlier when the Basin was at its worst, and although all three crews finished the race above water, all sank before they reached the nearby float.
The jayvee race brought the only Harvard victory, and proved small consolation at that, for Cornell's No. 6 oar snapped at the button over half a mile from the finish. The Ithacans continued pounding away with an heroic beat and clung closely tot he heavy Harvard crew whose shell was noticeably lower in the waves than either, Tech or Cornell. In the final sprint Cornell could not keep up but the prow of the Tech boat riding high and clear, shot forward past amidships of the sinking Crimson shell and nearly snatched the victory from the Harvard eight.
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