Today at 11:45 a.m. on the Charles River course, Harvard's heavyweight crews will make their season's debut when they face a strong Brown contingent and a weak but game Rutgers squad.

In the featured varsity race, coach Harry Parker's first boat will be going after its seventh consecutive Stein Trophy. In last year's regatta on the Raritan River at New Brunswick, N.J., the Crimson varsity smashed the Bruins by 18.3 seconds and the Scarlet Knights by 23.2 seconds.

Rowing Together

The varsity boat Parker will put on the Charles today has been rowing together as a unit for only two days. The shell is anchored by third-year varsity cox Tom Tiffany, captain and stroke Bill Hobbs, and varsity returnees Dave Mitchell at seven and Brian Johnson at five.

Seniors Fred Lane at three, Paul Ramsey at two, Jim Ehrman at four, along with junior Dave Sawyier and sophomore Bill Mahoney complete the first boat lineup.

Of the two opponents this boat will face tomorrow, Brown appears to offer the toughest competition.

Brown has been very impressive so far this year," Parker said. "They are strong and usually capable of sustaining speed and endurance throughout the entire race."

"Brown is at least as good as the best teams of last year," Hobbs explained. "Their times so far have been very fast." But there is no indication that the Crimson shell has not improved from last years Eastern Sprint champion boat.

Even with both opponents improved, today's race shapes up to be an exact replica of last year's 2000-meter contest at Rutgers. As usual, Parker is not taking either squad lightly. Replaying his annual opening race prediction, Parker maintains. "Well, we should do well, but I don't know this is only our first time out and both opponents have really improved. We're hopeful."

Last year in preludes to the Stein race. Rutgers had been demolished at Princeton by four lengths and Brown had nipped B.U. by 1-4 seconds. Last week, the Scarlet Knights lost by four and a half lengths to the Tigers and Brown edged the Terriers by two seconds on a rough Charles River.