A varsity strengthened varsity crew will race Yale this Saturday on the Thames River in New London.

Though billed as underdogs, the Crimson eight, with three new how oarsmen, has improved steadily during its three-week training period at Red Top and by race-time may even figure with Yale's best crew in three years.

Saturday's varsity race runs four miles downstream from Bartlett's Cove to the N.Y., N.H., & H. railroad bridge. It will be the 89th renewal of a series which began in 1852 as the first intercollegiate event in America.

The freshman battle will start at 5 p.m. for the two mile grind. The junior varsity crews will go at 5:45 p.m. and the varsity at 6:30 p.m.

"Things look a lot brighter than when we started training," commented Harvey Love after the crew finished its last intensive trail on Monday night. Love has put Ken Peterson at bow in place of Howie Lewis, Captain Bill Goortsema at three for Dick Higgins, and Howard Cushing at four for Roger Hearne.

The new combination has increased the crew's consistency and the oarsmen are really rowing smoothly," Love said.

Training Weather Good

In its only previous meeting, at the Eastern Sprints, Yale finished half a length behind the crack Navy crew and thereby became the official favorite for Saturday's classic, for Harvard closed two lengths behind the Elis. This race was undoubtedly the Blue's finest performance to date, since it has won no other duel this season.

The training weather at New London has been good and both crews have not yet missed a day of practice. Paced by the freshmen for two miles and then by the junior varsity for the second two, the Crimson varsity eight, stroked by Larry Brewnell, finished strong in its three preface tests over the four mile course. The longest time, rowed against a slight headwind and through changing tide, was 22.19. Two of the trials were downstream, and the third upstream.

Love has put the eight through this special trial against the tide as practice in case the start of the varsity race is delayed past the scheduled 6:30 p.m. beginning, when the tide turns.

Platt Replace Schwarz

Bill Leavitt's once-beaten Yardling crew, with Nick Platt at two in place of Fritz Schwarz, races an Eli eight which finished two and a half lengths ahead in the Eastern Sprints. The lanky 'Crimson yearlings have rowed well over the past week and have learned to handle rough water, their greatest difficulty at the Sprints.

The annual combination crew race will be held in New London tomorrow.

Varsity: bow, Ken Peterson; two, Randy Harrison; three, Bill Geertsema; four, Howard Cushing; five, Pete Simonds; Bob Monks, six; Dick Darrell at seven; and Larry Brownell at eight. Bill Crowther will cox.