Timetrials are funny things; as anyone who has laid any money on a crew only on the basis of a single clocking will probably ruefully admit. In spite of their apparent worthlessness, however, the Crimson coaching staff is as jealous about the Varsity's latest clocking over the Henley as Dick Harlow is about some of the darker secrets of his latest illegitimate T formation.

If then apparently the trials are worthless, why the secretiveness? Why can't the CRIMSON announce each morning after a trial just what the time was? The answer to this factor is that, provided with the proper facts, such a clocking becomes a tell-all to the man who knows about such things.

Variable Factors

The four variable factors, wind, current, competition, and the stroke rowed, probably in that order of importance, are the foundations on which conclusions about a time trial are built. With these in hand, Bolles can generally predict to within two seconds the time his boats will do over the course before they reach the starting line.

And therefore, it is deemed wise that anything with minutes and seconds in it be considered verboten except, of course, for actual races.