The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-01
Race is Rowed Over AZ Result Of
Saturdays FIaseo and Is Easily
Won by the Oxford
Grow.
SIX LENGTHS AHEAD
Wind Was Blowing FlerceIy and
Makes Work Of Crews Hard
Smaller Crowd Than on
Saturday.

LONDON, April 1.-Oxford won the
annual race with Cambridge on the
Thames here today scoring an easy
victory. The race was rowed over as
the result of Saturdays fiasco The
official time for the four and one
quarter miles was % minutes, three
seconds.
The result was foregone conclu-
sion from the start and there was
much less interest at the first half
mile, and from then on 1t was pro-
cession, although nearing the finish
Cambridge made desperate effort to
cut down their rivals lead, but they
had shot their bolt" and could not
do much as there was little stacking
up on the part of the Oxford eight
The winners finished first by six
lengths.
Instead of the fast stroke of Satur-
day, Cambridge began with an aver
age of so strokes to the minute Ok
ford rowed steady 80 to the minute.
which was maintained as though the
crew was simply on practice row,
their shell slipping through the water
quietly and swiftly. 1t was plain
there was much latent energy behind
the workers and that when they got
ready they could move away from
their rivals.
! For the first half mile, the crews
held together with the thin blade of
the Oxford shell about three feet in
front of their rivals. Then their stroke
cut loose and called for trifle more
steam" The effect was instantaneous
and slowly but surely the Oxford
shell forged to the front. In a fran
J tic effort to stave off defeat as long
as possible Cambridge ran her stroke
| up to SO and held it there but the
power was in the other craft and for
all practical purposes the race was al
ready over
At Harrods, which was the half way
point, Oxford had pulled into clear
lead of three open lengths. Following
! instructions, Oxford then slackened
up trifle, and Cambridge began to
encourage her hackers, making UP
about three quarters of length. AT
the three mile point both crews were
\ rowing a perfect "a stroke and Ok
ford's lead was exactly two lengths.
Then Oxford began to utilize its
reserve power and in a few seconds
the most ardent Cambridge followers
realized there was no hope. About this
time the skies, which had become ov
nd hoi1 or
swept over the river. 1t was accom-
panied by renewed gust of wind but
there was little water shipping as the
shells had been equipped with high
er washboards and they worked per
fectly
ford simply rowed away from Cam
bridge and won as she pleased by sil
open lengths.
The scenes before the race were {
duplication of Saturday, although tins
crowd on the bridges and along the
banks was much smaller, but it made
up in enthusiasm what II lacked IL
numbers Oxford's luck was with il
from the outset and it won the toss
Today it took the Middlesex side o.
the river because the wind, which
was penetrating, was from the north
For a long while it seemed that there
would necessarily be a REPETITION o.
Saturdays troubles as the wind wa,
kicking up a lively smother and th<
white caps followed each other II
rapid succession, each carrying the
kick" that seemed certain to spell
disaster to frail racing craft
AS the morning advanced, however
the water became calmer as the vino
died down although the sky was over
cast, and at eleven o'clock the an
nouncement was made that the race
would certainly be rowed. putting a
rest rumors OF postponement. A!
the Cambridge challengers padded
down 10 the starting line the mel
4 seemed In better fettle than on Satur
day. and were plainly none the wors,
for that experience. They we're warm
ly greeted by their supporters while
\ the Oxford followers 'joshed" then
4 in the usual style. Five minutes al
leT NhuIDiiusSS vas ~ Pooieioh' ~
Oxford shell was towed out into thu
center OF the river By launch Al
they cut loose and moved slowly ov
er to the Middlesex side the contras
In appearance between the tgt
crews was very apparent. The create
weight of the Oxford men stood on
very plainly. and 1t was certain tina
IL form counted for anything the bet
ting odds offered on them were Just
fed