The crew lost but once that year, in April to a tough Princeton eight by one second. They bounced back in the first EWRA championships, though, trouncing the Tigers by two lengths. Then, in the national championships in Philadelphia, they overcame a strong Vesper boat club crew by one second to win the right to represent the U.S. in the World Championships at Moscow.

There the crew failed to qualify for the finals, but rallied to defeat Czechoslovakia and win the consolations.

Last year, the squad's second, was an undefeated one for the varsity eight. Also, the program was expanded, as a varsity four was incorporated into it. In the EWRA finals, both cruised to victory by over two lengths.

But things did not go so smoothly for Radcliffe at the nationals in San Francisco, as the eight lost to a powerful Vesper boat by a length of open water, placing second in the final. The only consolation was the fact that Vesper's eight, which went to Lucerne, Switzerland after the event, was not a collegiate one; instead it was a group of women from many other colleges who banded together after the regular season to form an unbeatable crew.

The first-seeded four did no better, failing to even qualify for the finals. They finished third (.2 seconds out of first place) in the first heat, B.U., whom the boat had defeated four times in other regattas earlier in the season, won the final, and with it a trip to Europe.

This year, the program has expanded still further. The team's success drew 95 women to the organizational meeting in the early fall, and 40 of them have stayed. Two other coaches have been hired, one for the revamped lightweight program, and one for the J.V. heavyweights.

The lightweights, hampered by a lack of interest in previous years, now field a varsity and a J.V. eight. This season first-year coach Peter Huntsman '74 brought varsity into Lake Beseck as the number-one seed, undefeated by any other lightweight boat. In the rough water, though, the boat placed second behind the same B.U. crew it had beaten earlier in the season.

The heavyweights, besides the varsity, have a J.V. four. The eight also posted an undefeated year, smashing Yale, who finished second behind them, by over two weeks on Lake Beseck.

But for the third year in a row it has been the varsity heavies that have stolen the show. Before last Saturday, they had defeated nine different crews, and eight of them by more than one length of open water. Only Princeton, whom they faced on an unfamiliar course, was able to come within a length of them.

However, it was not until Sunday that they were truly pressed, and they responded with a poise found only in a true champion as they exploded past first-seeded Yale and dark-horse Wisconsin to maintain their grip on the Eastern championship. And, for all practical purposes, the national championship as well.

The heavies will row against Yale tomorrow in New Haven in a two-mile contest. Last year marked the first year that they have been included in what has traditionally been an all-male event at New Haven.

After Saturday, the team's plans for the future are still uncertain. While the men's heavyweights plan to go to Henley to compete for the Grand Challenge Cup, the women have no similar opportunity. Thus they may not compete as a team again this year, and instead rest to prepare for the tryouts for the national team, which will begin in July.

On the other hand, they may go to Princeton to compete in the national championships in mid-June. But, as stroke Barbara Norris said. "We've beaten all the top college teams there are already. And now that there's a national camp, they really don't mean very much. We've really won all there is to win."