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Heavyweights Open Season By Topping Brown, Rutgers

By James Hines

Harvard's heavyweight crew trounced Brown and Rutgers in a triangular race Saturday on the Raritan River in New Brunswick. N. J., to win the Stein Cup regatta for the sixth consecutive year. The race was the heavies' first this spring.

Brown's freshman boat overtook a tiring Yardling crew in the last 500 meters to pull off a big upset, while the Harvard junior varsity swept to an easy victory in its division of the regatta.

In the varsity race, Harvard beat Brown by more than five boat lengths, and Rutgers by about seven. Battling a stiff headwind during the entire race, the Crimson covered the 2000-meter course in a slow 6:58.3.

"I was very pleased with the effort," Harvard coach Harry Parker said yesterday. "It was really a strong performance." he added.

Although the start was heavily staggered, it was apparent that Harvard had a sizeable lead after the first twenty strokes. "Our start was beautiful." said senior Ed Porter who mans the number four oar. "After our start, it wasn't a tense race at all."

When the crews rowed past the 700-meter mark, shortly after the river's bend had completely compensated for the staggered start, the Crimson eight had at least a two-length lead on both of its opponents.

Harvard steadily lengthened its lead for the rest of the race, crossing the finish line about 19 seconds ahead of Brown and about 24 ahead of Rutgers.

Harvard's win was hardly a shock, but its margin of victory over Brown-which last week beat B. U.-was a small surprise.

"We expected to beat Brown and Rutgers. If we didn't beat these people, it would have been a bad omen," Porter said.

"Brown did not have a particularly good row." said Parker.

You Built Me Up

In the freshman race, the Yardlings got off to a great start, building a two-length lead before hitting the 500-meter mark. Insead of settling to the planned pace of 36 srokes per minute after the start, the freshmen rowed the entire race at a rate of 40 or more.

The Yardlings' endurance did not hold out, and with about 500 meters to go. Brown swept by Harvard. Brown's sprint left the Crimson far behind, and the Bruins beat Harvard by about 11 seconds.

The junior varsity pulled away from its opponents from the start to achieve a three-length victory.

The heavyweight crews will host Princeton and M. I. T. in the Compton Cup regatta next Saturday on the Charles.

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