Shooting off to a boat-length lead over Brown and Rutgers in the first 500 meters. Harvard's varsity heavyweight crew held on to the margin to capture its seventh straight Stein Cup victory Saturday on the Charles.

At the end of the 2000 meter course, coach Harry Parker's first boat recorded a time of 6:11.4, outdistancing the Bruins' eight by 4.6 seconds and the Scarlet Knights by 12.6 seconds.

The varsity crew, which had only been together for two days, blasted any rumors that the already-tested Bruins would upset the Crimson but at the same time they were self-admittedly unimpressive. The boat seemed to lack swing and was at times jerky, but this could easily be attributed to a strong cross wind that swept off the Cambridge shore. At any rate, even though encouraging, the victory was chiefly a musele job by the Crimson shell which can be longer and go faster.

"We didn't fly, that's for sure," stroke Bill Hebbs said later. "If this is the way we're going to row than we're not going to take the Sprints. But we've been together so short a time. I mean what do you want?"

In this season-opening meet for the Crimson. Brown started the race at a stroke of 13 while Harvard was rowing at 11. As these two crews shot for the lead, it was an unnoticed and surprisingly strong Rutgers, rowing in the Boston shore lane, that actually grabbed the early advantage.

The crews settled to a rate of 31 and Harvard started to move ahead after about 250 meters. The game Scarlet Knights finally started to fade at the 1000 meter mark but the Bruins, though still a length behind, were rowing

stroke for stroke with the Crimson. Brown started to sprint at a 41 after Harvard moved to a 38 but the margin remained the same at the finish.

"It was very encouraging, but I'm glad that one's behind us," five man Brian Johnson said. "We should be ready next week at Princeton."

Brown beat Harvard's J. V.'s by 5.2 seconds but in the two freshman pre-limenary races, the Crimson won by two boat lengths, and five and a half boat lengths in the first and second boat races respectively.