The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-09-17
DAVIS EASILY DEFEATS SAND
Local Sculler Finishes Ten Lengths
Ahead of the German.
Foreign Rover Took Lead at the
Start, bat Davis soon over
hauled Him-Time, 5s55 I-2.

! Clarence Davis. the champion Junior
scuIlep OF the Potomac Boat Club. easily
bested Waldemar Sand. the German
/ sculler. in the mile race on the Potomac
last evening, the local man being some
ten or twelve lengths 10 the good when
the Aqueduct Bridge, the finishing point.
was reached.
Davis time for the distance was 5:55ls.
which is considered coed time for the
| course. No time was taken on sand. as
/ the German did not finish out the race
owing 10 the fact that he had cut IN so
near the Virginia shore that several Of
the canoes and smaller craft containing
/ spectators interfered with The foreign
mans progress.
I Sand was fairly beaten IN decisive
manner by the local man. who. with the
exception of the first two hundred yards.
/ had all the better of the race and finished
In easy style with plenty In reserve.
This race is the first affair Of its kind
/ ever held in Washington, as sand is the
first representative of a foreign club TO
compete with any Of the local organiza-
tons.
/ Davis victory over Sand is considered
TO be a vindication Of the American
methods and style over those Of Germany,
without detracting In any way from the
victor's prOwess as an oarsman.
sand, Of course, was considerably haDdi-
capped by the fact that he was using q
shell with which he was almost entirely
unfamiliar, but IT is not thought that the
result Of the race would have differed 10
any material extent had sand had his
own particular boat, as the margin by
which he was beaten would easily Offset
the distance he would have gained had he
used his own boat
After leaving the Potomac Boat Club
the scullers journeyed easily up TO the
starting point. and it was just 6.10 o'clock
when the word 10 go was given by Presi-
dent Merritt
Sand leaped away like a fash. and had
put nearly length Of open water be-
tween him and his opponent before he
had gone 100 yards From that time on
however. Davis gradually drew up. over
hauling Sand AT the quarter and having
some two lengths 10 spare at the half
mile mark. Davis had the course toward
the middle Of the river. while Sand was
between him and the Virginia shore. Davis
used a shorter and snapper stroke than
the German did, and did not take quite so
long a sweep. The local mans stride did
not seem 20 vary the entire distance. up
until the last 400 yards, when he let down
perceptibly, having the race so well in
hand
Sand did not keep TO the course. but
veered over toward the Virginia side so
that he lost considerable ground. but he
apparently made no effort 10 change his
course, and as a result was not more
than fifty yards from the shore when
be neared the finish.
The race was witnessed from the Aque-
duct Bridge by a large crowd and hun
dreds OF canoes and launches were sta
toned near the bridge 20 view the finish.
which proved Disappointing Davis re-
oeived an enthusiastic ovation from the
0nlOokers as he shot under the line and
Mas heartily congratulated upon reaching
the boathouse.
The launch Black Arrow. from which
the word to start was given, followed in
the wake OF the racers and contained
President William Z. II. Merritt. Of the
Potomac Boat Club; Referee Claude R.
ZappOne. and Timers J. II. Doyle. J. J.
Nolan. w. S. Mccarthy, and W D. No
Ian.
The judges at the finish were Capt
r. C. Howard. Of the Analostan Boat
Club: Count c. A. MusehOld Of the Ger
man Embassy. and Robert SlOcum