For three weeks, the Harvard heavyweights were flying high. In winning the San Diego Crew Classic during Spring Break, the varsity shell had out-raced most of the other top boats in the country, and was justifiably considered the best in the East.

But on Saturday, Harvard came tumbling down from its lofty perch, as it lost the Adams Cup to Navy and Penn by more than three seconds. To regain its preeminent position on this coast, the Crimson now must wait two weeks until the Eastern Sprints.

Navy was the big story at this weekend's Philadelphia race. The Midshippmen, who had finished second to Harvard in California, turned in a blistering 5:22.52 on the Schukill. The Quakers and the Crimson followed in 5:23.12 and 5:25.56 respectively.

"We just didn't race our race," said three-man Donald Fawcett.

Crimson two-seat Kevin Cameron agreed: "We raced two good crews, and we weren't quite there. But we've got two weeks to get it together."

One shell which did get it together yesterday was the Crimson junior varsity. The JV's time of 5:26.7 was nearly two seconds faster than Penn's unit, and more than 14 seconds quicker than Navy.

"It was our best race of the season," said JV seven-man Andy Hawley. "We were looking foward to a very tough race--which is what they gave us--but we responded. All the guys put it together."

The men's third varsity also finished first--by more than three seconds over Penn--while the freshmen picked up a second-place finish, giving the Crimson a ribbon of each color on the afternoon.

But the varsity boat, which had won the Adams Cup 30 times before, certainly will not look back upon this weekend with fondness. The medals that the rowers are looking forward to will be handed out in Worcester at Easterns on May 10.