UNIVERSITY EIGHT WON

Yesterday afternoon the University crew won an exciting and fiercely-fought race on the Charles River by finishing a few feet of open water ahead of the second crew, which in turn finished about ten lengths ahead of the third crew. An unfortunate blunder on the part of cox-swain King marred the race somewhat, but served to bring out the splendid spirit of the University eight, a spirit which wins races against heavy odds. Just before reaching the Cottage Farm Bridge the University crew ran into a launch anchored in the stream. All four starboard oars, and two of the outriggers hit, and all headway was stopped. At the time the University eight was only about two lengths of open water behind the second boat and fully three lengths were lost. With six lengths to make up in about two miles, the University crew settled down with determination to the task and eventually won out.

At the start the third crew was given thirty seconds and the second ten seconds over the University crew. Both the second and third crews took a racing start, but the University eight started off at a slow stroke of about 30. The second crew immediately began to gain on the third before the Boylston Street Bridge was reached, the University eight just holding its own. At the next bridge the third crew was only a length and a half of open water ahead of the second boat and the position of the University crew had not changed. After passing the third bridge the University crew began to gain on the second and cut the lead down to about three and one-half lengths of open water, although the men had as yet shown but little life, were slow with their hands on the recovery, and were not dropping the oars in quickly at the catch.

Halfway from the third bridge to the Cottage Farm Bridge the University and second crews hugged close to the Cambridge shore and went inside two rafts anchored about one hundred feet off shore, while the third crew passed outside both rafts and was passed by the second crew. Just after leaving the rafts the University crew raised the stroke to 33 for a time and further cut down the lead of the second crew to only two lengths of open water, this stretch being the first time the crew showed good form and got into the water quickly. It was just after this that the crew lost three lengths or more by running into the launch. About 300 yards after the Cottage Farm Bridge had been passed, the University crew passed the third, and had made up two lengths on the second. The crew at this point began to row well getting a quick catch with a faster recovery, and making its weight and strength count at a stroke of 31.

Slowly but determinedly the University eight drew away from the third and gained on the second with every stroke until at Harvard Bridge the second crew was only a seant length and a quarter of open water ahead. The third crew was by this time well out of the race, about six lengths behind. Halfway from Harvard Bridge to the finish the bow of the University boat lapped the stern of the second crew shell, the University crew rowing at this point a hard 33. The second crew fought hard, however, and the University eight was now only able to gain by feet. About a quarter of a mile from the finish both crews were rowing stroke for stroke at 33 and absolutely even. Three hundred yards from the finish the University eight began to go steadily away and crossed the finish line in a sprint of from 34 to 35, a winner by a scant few feet of open water.

All the men finished in good condition but were very tired. Stroke Cutler, after the University eight had hit the launch, drove his crew hard and was well backed up, especially by the three men directly behind him, the stern four doing the best work throughout the race. The second crew made a splendid fight in the last three quarters of a mile and was well stroked by Forster. It was not till after hitting the launch that the University crew showed any sort of form and power, but the work of the eight in this last half of the race offset the lack of life and good rowing shown in the first part when the crew was in the wash of the other boats. No time was given out.

The crews rowed in the following order:

University crew--Stroke, Cutler; 7, Waid; 6, Nowton; 5, Bacon; 4, Strong; 3, Metcalf; 2, Leslie; bow, Sargent; cox., King.

Second crew--Stroke, Forster; 7, Hooper; 6, Higginson; 5, Maxwell; 4, Waite; 3, Loring; 2, Parker; Bow, Anderson; cox., Voorhees.

Third crew--Stroke, Wiggins; 7, Coe; 6, Peabody; 5, Beane; 4, Cudahy; 3, Hoar; 2, Richardson; bow, Shillito; cox., Kempton