Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-14
SCIENTIFIC RACING.
A Tribute to the Potomac Course and wasl
ington Hospitality.

n AriDute TO the fOtOmac course and WASH
ington Hospitality.
The New York sun in an interesting article
on scientific rowing says that the victory of the
New York Athletic Clubs crew over the Alta
lanta Club men at the national regatta lately
held at Washington is a notable triumph of the
scientific stroke over the go-as-you-pleasc style
OF rowing. This and other victories Mt the
same regatta demonstrate the Significance OF
the principles which Robert Cook Of Yale
brought from England in 1872.
In America the professional stroke has had
the greater prominence, and the scientific stroke
until lately has been confined to few Of the
leading universities. Yet the problems of row.
ing have been studied and the practice of row.
ing has been pursued with more system at col
leges than elsewhere. and 1t ~ the college men
who have raised the standard of amateur row.
ing in this country as in England. This fact
has been proved more than once since 1871,
when the Atalantas defeated both Yale aud Har-
ward so easily.
THE POTOMAC COURSE.
The changing Of the national regatta from
lake to river, and from fresh to tidal waters.
prevents any comparison of the performances,
except at long intervals of time. If a course
could be found situated in a locality which
would be more or less central to the different
associations there would be a higher class of
entries. and the standard of rowing would be
greatly improved. The conditions would be
uniform. and the interest in the regatta would
be much increased. 1t Is a misfortune that
Washington does not qualify for the require
ments rs to location, for the course on the Po-
tomac river Is IL fine one. The width of the
river allows large number of boats TO row
abreast, seven crews at the least having all the
elbow room they need from start to finish.
This lie great advantage In rowing of the
preliminary heats. The eXpanse of water also
allows more steamers to follow the races. and
the wash they make when returning from the
finish of one race has plenty OF room in which
to dispense and subside before the start Of the
following race. There Is also room for any
number of mOored craft and small boats with
out obstruction to the course, while Analoston
Island affords fine site for grand stands from
which 10 view the finish. Regarding the late
regatta, the arrangements. aside from an UNI
ayoidable delay on the hrst day, were as nearly
perfect as possible.
Although the races were rowed in Washing
ton with the tide, the water very nearly
dead. The tide travels 10 miles to reach
Washington, and the rise is only three feet so
that it does little more than neutralize the
current of fresh water.
The national regatta is only an incident in
the busy life of Washington. and occurred. too,
the city. SO that the number of spectators was
comparatively small
Washington has all the qualities for so i'm
portant a meeting as the national regatta, apart
from the excellence of the course and good
facilities for accommodation. The many
features Of n national capital both visible and
sentimental, must inevitably make a great
impression, but more impressive still was the
welcome given by its people to all who were
brought there by the regatta. The Columbia,
Analostan and Potomac clubs, under whose
auspices the regatta was held could not have
performed their duties with better success. nor
could they have more effectively maintained
their high reputation for hospitality.