The Washington herald., 1907-04-07
Georgetown 0utrOwed in the
Second Mile.
LED FOR HALF THE DISTANCE
Although the Blue and Gray Oars
men Showed Fine Form, the Nays
Weight Was Too Much, and West
Enders Finished Six Lengths
Astern-weather UnfavorabIe,
By a staa corrs.nond.nt.

Annapolis. Nd, April 6.-After having
outrowed the midshipmen and maintained
lead for fully half the distance, the
Georgetown Varsity crew lost to the
Navy over the two-miie course on the
Severn River this afternoon by six
lengths.
Seldom have Two sets of Oarsmen gone
TO the stake boats under more adverse
conditions than the crews which par
ticipated in the opening event Of the local
aquatic season to-day. When the rowing
squads awoke this morning they found
that the thermometer had dropped many
points during the night and that Il the
race was 20 be rOwed at all it would ba
with the mercury lowering around the
freezing point. After breakfast a stih
wind blew directly up the course. cover
ing the water with combers and making
the river so rough that it was out Of the
question to launch a shell.
Later IN the day the wind died down.
and after the two coaches had inspected
the two-mile stretch on the Severn, il was
decided TO start the race. About $3.50 the
two Fights left the boathouse for the
~NftA - HNA DEA0At my lttt0 AhHiL AAAeAAA4
strokes the wind began blowing almost a
gale, and both shells shipped considerable
water on their way up the river
GeOrgetOVvu Handicapped.
When the start was finally reached it
was seen that all the clements were ad-
verse to the light Georgetown eight. as
the water was much rougher than the
men were accustomed 10 on the Potomac,
and the stin head wind which blew di-
rectly up the two-mile stretch, made fast
time out Of the question and favored the
physically stronger crew.
The wind was 50 strong that c0nsidega-
bic time was lost ia getting the shells
Strengthened out, and both crews were
shiveriug before Lieut. Commander Irwin
got them ready for the start
At the word. the Fights caught the wa
ter together. and for nearly I00 hundred
yards both roWed an unusually large
number Of strokes. but finally. when the
pace was steadied, 1t was seen that
Georgetown was In the lead by about q
quarter of a length Navy dropped her
stroke 10 thirty-three. while Georgetown
maintained thirty-four. and IN the next
quarter of a mile the Blue and Gray was
In the lead by half a length.
When the half-mile mark was reached
Georgetown was still half a length IN
front, with Navy making Il desperate
effort 20 cut down the lead Through the
next quarter there was no change in the
relative positions of the two boats. but
nearing the mile post the midshipmen
quickened their stroke and pulled up on
even termss
Up 70 this point Georget0wn's crew had
fao crrrff ftrrI II
oened the Navy in form. Both outfits
were rowing the same number Of strokes
0hirty-four but the WashiugtOniaus
longer stroke and steadier recovery was
keeping the nose OF their boat in the
van, despite the Nays advantage Of
nearly ten pounds 70 the man In weight
Navy Tnkes the Lead.
From the mile mark TO The finish the
superior stamina. greater weight. and
better condition Of the midghipmen soon
told. and although Georgetown made sew
eral determined efforts tn hang on in the
hope OF being able 10 sprint 10 victory
at the finish, the efforts were Of little
avail, as the men in the shell weakened
until there was little power In the
strokes. When both crews were fresh
Georgetown showed that she was able to
Keep the ledds bui ~ the last quarter or
mile the life seemed 10 leave the boat and
when the finish flag fell the visiting eight
was still six lengths astern. Navy put
up a beautiful squirt IN the last furlong
which was good for two lengths easily
The official time was: Navy II minutes
and 81 seconds; Georgetown. Z minutes
and Is As seconds. As this t;mo Is 2 min
utes and 81 seconds slower than the record
over the same course, some idea can be
formed Of the fierce conditions under
which the race was T0Wed.
While ii was the consensus OF opinion
among critics that Georgetown exceIled
in form. and that the crew is probably
better than the one that represented the
Blue and Gray here last yea, Navy.
nevertheless, has most formidable
aggregation of oarsmen. The men are
not rowing as smoothly as might be de-
sired. although the season Is still young.
but 1t is safe to predict that more than
one Of the college crews which are sched-
uled to row here this spring viii be de-
feated by the midshipmen. The average
weight Of the men in the boat is good,
and there seems to be no end 10 power