ANNAPOLIS, Md.--The heavyweight varsity announced its claim as the ranking crew in the country Saturday, as it triumphed over a strong but outclassed Pennsylvania crew. The Penn freshmen and junior varsity dominated the wind-swept Annapolis race course, but the Crimson heavyweights salvaged the afternoon by defeating Penn, Navy, and Rutgers in the final race to carry off the Adams Cup for the fourth straight year.

Rowing a lower stroke than their three opponents, the Crimson oarsmen drove forward with long, solid strokes that irresistably ground down the others. The varsity eight covered the mile-and-three quarters course in 9:31.6, two lengths ahead of Penn and Navy at 9:39.1 and 9:39.6, with Rutgers six lengths back.

Penn and the Crimson both took off rowing at a 42, with the varsity soon pulling three or four seats ahead. Sophomore stroke Perry Boyden then lowered the cadence to a 30--two strokes lower than Penn--and the Crimson began to pull away.

To keep the Crimson shell from drawing ahead, the Penn stroke moved up to a 34, but was almost a length behind at the mile mark. Coming through the bridge a half-mile from the finish, Penn was rowing a 35 and the Crimson a 32 with open water between them.

Navy almost stole second place from Penn with a tremendous closing spring which provided an exciting finish. The Middies rowed the whole last half-mile above a 38, finishing at a 41. Penn had to push its stroke up to a 37 in order to squeeze ahead by half a second. The Crimson boat, never rowing above a 35, was not even pressed.

Pennsylvania coach Joe Burke called the Crimson crew "better than Yale the week before." An important object of Saturday's race is to choose seedings for next week's Eastern Sprints. On the basis of its decisive victory, the Crimson should be first.

In the junior varsity race, Penn took the lead at the start and gained a half length. The Crimson shell stuck with the Red and Blue boat for the next mile, but was unable to pull even