The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-03
CRITICIZE THE VESPER CREW.
what znslish Experts Think d Philadelphia
Oarsmeu.

. The English papers to hand contain
lengthy criticisms OF the Vespers stroke
and their work in general at Henley. and
It is admitted on all sides that the Amerl-
cans are dan erous. To the sharps on the
Thames the stroke OF the Quakers Is short
and jerky. yet the shell moves along at good
clip. which Is the main point after all.
Sifted down TO the real tussle. 1t appears
TINT only four crews "a nder. Vesper. London
and Thames-- will figure Tor the Grand"
For some groundless reason these two latter
crews are thought to have no chance. and
leander Is regarded as Engand's sheet
anchor. Much the same conditions as now
prevail occurred on the visit OF Pennsylvania
in 1901. The varsity crew created GOOD I'M
preston and started favorite over Leander
in the final. but they just lost by length.
As a general rule Englshmen always speak
well of foreign visitors In sporting contests
and rarely ever discourage them ~ sny
adverse remarks. Perhaps the Vespers are
being treated to u little fattery, meant well.
OF course. but for the moment buttered the
right way and according to custom. quite
an impartial criticism OF the Vespers appears
in Sporting Lite OF June 81 and is as follows
"The actual result is still in the lap Of des-
tiny, but think the impression will soon be
borne upon English oarsmen that the Phila-
delphia crew will have to be treated IRON
sternly serious aspect 1t may seem too early
O period-ther second day Oh the course
to begin to Judge our American cousins
strength. but in the teeth OF half gale yes
terday forenoon watched the Vesper crew
do what are commonly known as paddles
over the full course, when they first tried the
Bucks station. and then the Berks. and formed
the opinion that they will turn out very fast.
English oars men have never taken kindly
to swivel rowlocks on an eight cared boat.
and the use Of them has tendency to make
the stroke look short but the Americans get
a good grip OF the water. have nice leg
drive and seem to grease their boat along
in very smooth fashion. In fact it is steal
ing action that may deceive the most expert
Judges who. take up the ordinary, English
standpoint that fixed rowlocks are decidedly
superior. u! have no wish to prove an alarm
pers will prove force to he reckoned with.
At the same, time have every faith in the
e Thsy and hs
retain possession q the most coveted trophy
! have not calculated the chances OF the for.
elgn element, the Belgian and German crews
two TWO o aSed ' they have so@peted and the
Berlin crew rowed .penddly against Leander
H Lord , bsy ho sHG con.d Gst
gauntlet. may threaten danger. but as the
n. ss. canned s Ground S s
will not compete.
M ss s.p.4. "' .n I'd e.nG.f Is o %c.
complete. There was q regular levee at the
Lyndon bosthouse afssT morndins practise
ssPsoa ss' ANY
the the Sss sR
hiGh the weather prophets bets, predio c rain
keep away tn. bnt It sas
heavy handicap on oarsmen when rowing he
5esatts course The proper wayithat is
=, Regular hours q practise is the motto Of
n NJ and Henley church f had t barely s sonnded
that hour when the Americans, carried their
o9 Of the ten, sd got from the
back. The boat was padded down below
REGATTA Island. swung around. and padded
piece of sustained rowing up 70 the vicinity
q eeheen Strokes
pulled through in the first half minute and
o tsrHvdd rd in d. to @ Re hfa sa hs
way up to Fawiey. but the rowing was rhyIh.
crew reached the halfway line opposite Faw
ley hoathonse in minutes II seconds. Row
way up the course. but the form was wei!
maintained, and the winning post was passed
to the thH ss day.
tise, the ,yeepers turned round again and
padded down stream for O second time. |
Round the island they went from the Berks |
to the Bucks side, and this time taking the |
Berks station instead OF the Bucks, which |
was the most Sheltered they had another |
strong paddle over the mile and $50 yards. |
Starting at 80 IN the minute this time. they |
sustained the stroke well up to Fawley boat
house. where they were seconds slower for |
the distance compared with the first row. |
but against the stronger blast on the upper |
part of the course they lost more, and finished |
their second course in minutes 40 seconds. |
The varying strength of the wind was suf- |
hCient to account for this apparent dis |
crepancy of the times. and the oarsmen were |
evidently out more for learning the secrets |
Of the course than tn do anything in the shape |
of fast work Although ] may be wrong. | |
am strongly under the impression that the |
Americans will fashion into a fast crew II |
they only train on in the right way. They |
say they would much prefer warmer weather |
to the clustering wind and rain showers of |
Yesterday morning. but il was fine schooling |
experience that ought to teach them some |
thing Of the course. which is necessary. be- |
cause at Henley. as a somewhat slangy phrase |
goes. YOU never know your luck, Our visit
ors seem to have settled down to Henley
training life as If to the manner horn. They
built racing ships, and il their own craft is
q fair representation Of the American build. |
the old country experts can still claim to be
in front of their American cousins. especially
when II Is known that the Nesper boat No-
lantc cost s8OO. or E,20, whereas our best
builders can turn out good eight for ESQ
or thereabouts.
R0UTHG