New-York tribune., 1912-04-02
OXFORD AN EASY WINNER.
TriumphS at Last Over Cam
bridge Crew by Six Lengths.
WATER ROUGH FOR RACE
Bourne Realizes His Ambition TO
Stroke Four Crews to as
Many Victories.
TBy cable 10 The Tribune. J

Putney. England, April 1-swinging
along with machinelike rhythm and ROWING
well within themselves at all times, the
oarsnen of Oxford University rowed 10 an
easy victory over Cambridge in the sixty
ninth annual eght-oared shell race held
ever the course between Putney and Mort
lake on the Thames this afternoon. oxford
crossed the line six lengths OF open water
ahead Of its laboring rivals. The time was
% minutes and seconds. 1t was really
more OF a procession than a race. with the
result never in doubt. oxford flashed into
the lead i'm the first dozen strokes and was
never so much as threatened for the re-
rna,nder Of the four and quarter miles.
Y. c. Bourne. Of the oxford eight, real
,zed the ambition Of his athletic career
when he stroked a crew TO victory for the
fourth consecutive time. BY so doing he
established a record which will perhaps
endure for many years to come. Other
man. including such famous stroke oars as
p,tman. Gold and Stewart, have three
times guided victorious crews across the
line but 1t remained for the oroad-shoui-
dered Bourne to set new marx
The weather conditions were unfavoTaole
early in the morning, and for time II APP
peared as If there would be another post
ponement Day broke dull ana gray VII"
heavy clouds lowering over the horizon'
A cold damp wind swept out OF the hoIth
and kicked up nasty chop aIohs 'he
course. AS the wind grew in velocity "lA'e
caps rolled along the river, uh'll a.
"a o.c,ock there semed TO be little chance
~ holding the race. However, at noon the
referee went over the course ana oeclueu
q start should be made as arranged
oxford again won the toss and TINS tihe
chose the Middlesex side of the river Wi'icH
gave them some slight advantage with 'h'
wind out of the northwest ~
The starting gun doomed out at Z 90
o'clock. and the crews caught the Wa'e'
on even terms Before two dozen s'ioAe'
had been rowed the Prov or the DARK due
shell poked out in front, and with the mei
ripping great holes In the water the au-
vantage of a nose soon became clearcu'
lead Of q dozen feet For half mile lhe
light Blue crew held its position. AT the
mile most oxford was two boat lengths
ahead and was timed in 44L The roush
water made clean rowing hard work. ana
the men splashed badly at times.
Hammersmith Bridge saw oxford far
ahead. and the Dark Blue coXsWaln crossed
over into Catnbridge's water and gave them
the benefit Of a little back wash. The OK
ford crew was rowing a long, swinging
stroke that looked easy, but which carried
the boat along at a furious clip, running
well between strokes Cambridge fell back,
and oxford passed under the bridge at
900 o'clock At Chiswick Eyot Oxford
> was timed in 1905. The men were working
spIendidly under the adverse condltons
and kept the boat moving along steadily,
ever increasing its now unbeatable ad-
vantage. Cambridge was now thoroughly
subdued. and it was more tradition than
hope of victory which kept the men labor
ing at the sweeps Hope Of victory was
gone. barring the unforeseen, but light
Blue crew never gives up. At Barnes
Bridge the victors swept on six lengths
ahead, and this advantage was kept until
the flag dropped when the line was crossed.
The weather had little effect on the
crowds which always witness the spec
tacle. Clad I'm mackinaws or carrying UNI
brellas. thousands of spectators lined the
banks of the river and points of vantage
were at a premium two hours before the
start. Even when the conditions were at
their worst the stout hearted rowing en-
thusiasts never wavered. Sentiment was
with oxford, or rather with Bourne, for
the sport lovers were all hoping for him
to win his fourth consecutive race.