Harvard captured the Compton Cup for the fifth straight year as all five heavyweight eights pounded to convincing victories over Princeton and M.I.T. on the Charles Basin Saturday.

The Crimson varsity's time of 8:37.6--five seconds off the course record--gave Harvard a spread of three and a half lengths over the touted Tigers. M.I.T. finished two and a half lengths back of Princeton.

Harry Parker's varsity shell finally had a chance to show what it could do in perfect rowing conditions as a chilling 20-knot tailwind dropped to nothing for the last two races of the afternoon.

Harvard, in the lane closest to the Cambridge shore, led the two other varsity shells off the starting line. A three-quarters length lead opened up with only a quarter-mile gone. The Crimson was clearly in command, stroking at a very high 38 beats per minute before settling to 35 at the mile-and -a-half-to-go mark. Princeton and M.I.T. settled sooner and rowed the body of the race at 34.

At the bridge, it was Harvard by a length and a half of open water, and as the crews swept down the last three-quarter mile of the course, the Crimson margin slowly widened to an extra length.

JV's

The junior varsity race provided the most excitement of the regatta. The Harvard shell found itself behind at the start, and only after a half-mile gone was it able to squeeze out a three-seat margin over Princeton which was consistently challenging with repeated power-tens.

Underneath the bridge, the race changed radically. Harvard suddenly surged ahead by a length, and it was no time at all before a badly faltering Princeton dropped a half length back of M.I.T. Cheering spectators at the M.I.T. boathouse failed to aid the Engineers as they attempted to become the first shell to beat a Harvard boat this spring. The final margin was a length and a half.

The third varsity continued its powerful record by beating M.I.T (three and a half lengths), and the Amherst varsity (13 lengths).

Freshmen

The "best freshman crew in the history of rowing at Princeton" -- as described by Princeton coaches--lost to Ted Washburn's impressive first boat by five lengths. Harvard took an early lead and kept putting more water between itself and the Tigers.

The second freshman boat scored a three and a half length win over M.I.T. and the Amherst JV, who were tightly bunched in a race for second. The Amherst squad finished a half-length back of M.I.T.