New-York tribune., 1907-06-27
IBy Telegraph TO The Tribune ]

Poughkeepsle. y. Y, June 2G-Raln gusts and
gray skies misty and lead colored water were
set at naught to-day. when Cornell won the
greatest aquatic event in America by crossing
the finish line first In 1t field" Of seven In the
four-mile race for varsity eights
But Columbia shared the honors,- for. after a
heartbreaking contest. now in the lead ana
again tust behind. her shell seemed scarcely
hands breadth outstripped when she drew second
place The Navy crew. as the midshipmen from
the United States Naval Academy are known.
were third, although after tho first quarter Of
,,fa they had been almost bow and bow with
Pennsylvania.
CornelTs time was 20 minutes and 2 2-5 sec
onds. Columbia second. the Navy uird.
Pennsylvapia fourth. Wisconsin fifth and
Georgetown sixth. Syracuse did not finish, her
shell being bilged half mile away from tho
finish line
Never before did the steep walled river valley
ring with such throat cracking cheers. For tho
last half-mile of a gruelling struggle that went
nigh to the breaking strain Columbia fought
out the finish with Cornell The night mist had
settled on the water, and entire darkness had
almost come The shells looked like mere
lengthy blotS the water and the struggling
oarsmen scarcely more than dots against
the greenish- black background. Columbia and
Cornell were close together In the van and
the Navy and Pennsylvania SO nearly tied for
third place that the race would have ended in u
blank had not the monitors turned on their
searchlights. In this fantastic, flashing lace OF
golden yellow over the little tlmblng waves
the crews we're silhouetted like the design of
daring decorative painter. 1t
regatta with illuminated 0nish
Thus for the eighth time has Cornell won the
Varsity Challenge Cup IN this the thirteenth
annual contest. Yet the big race only
one of three, the climax of II series of wafer
contests that held fifty thousand persons on the
shores of the Hudson River for more than three
hours
The first contest for tho Kennedy Challenge
Trophy the race OF the university fours
There were only four entered and the standing
was: Syracuse, first; Cornell second; PennsYl-
Vania, third and Columbia fourth.
BADGER FRESHMEN COME IN FIRST
The second race was OF the freshmen elghts
II was won by tho University of Wisconsin, and
was the first time the boys from the Badger
State have taken the Stewards Cup since 1900
The other freshmen crews came in as follows:
Syracuse, second Pennsylvania, third; Column
bia fourth, and Cornell, fifth.
AS a sporting event Il may be called, in the
sporting vernacular. the greatest ever'-ln its
line, of course. AS spectacle II was unique
Ever since the race last year Poughkeepsie has
been looking forward 10 this day. 1t is the time
when this sleepy little valley town wakes UP
under the realization that college men and oars
men everywhere were awaiting the news of how
certain barebaclfed. sunburned youths have
Jared in pulling certain lean ribbed craft down
the Hudson River. Race day will probably
never become an old story TO "Po" which is the
towns nickname. And this year. more than
ever the regatta was water pageant Besides
the hotilla of foam, white yachts and wicked
looking motor boats and saucy dancing canoes,
there were ranged in a heavy, uncompromlslng
group three United States monitors, the Arkan-
sas the Florida and the Nevada. Besides these.
the torpedo boat Dragon served as tender and
all round aide -de-camp Of the midshipmen.
Such was the characteristic proof that the
Naval Academy bad entered into the contest
over which the Intercollegiate Rowing Associa-
ton holds sway; and, moreover. less per-
sonages than Secretary Metcalfe OF the Navy