The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
REDUCED COURSE
NOT PROBABLE
Much Opposition Developed
to Plan to Shorten the
Varsity Races.
LONGER RACE HARMFUL
Vivian Nickals. Pennsylvania Coach.
with StandpattersLCourtney
Wants Three-mile Course.

So much opposition has developed that
II seems quite unlikely just now that the
intercollegiate Rowing Association will
take steps to reduce the varsity races
from four to three miles.
This plan was suggested some time
ago. It's champions declaring that a four
mile race was too much of a strain on
even the best conditioned oarsmen, and
that a three-mile race would serve the
same purpose. and furnish the same num-
Der of thrills as a four-mile race. 1t also
was argued that the oarsmen. having to
row only three miles. would be fresher
at the finish. and therefore, would be
able to do some wonderful rowing, at top
speed. during the last half mile.
But now there comes to the fore some
OF the big college coaches who oppose
the change, declaring that II is the pace.
not the distance. that wears out oars
men. and that a three-mile race might
prove even harder on the crew than a
four-mile affair because the crew would
be more liable to go at top speed all the
way during the three-mile race.
Would Open Field.
In rebuttaI. some of the advocates Of
the three-mile race declare that a short
er race would open the field Of college
rowing to more colleges. as few OF the
colleges now are SO situated that they
have a four-miIe racing course OF water
at their disposal.
Vivian NickaIs, coach Of the University
OF Pennsylvania squad. which is being
picked just now as the dark horse for
the coming intercollegiate race on the
Hudson. puts up this peculiar excuse for
remaining with the standpatters.
Il believe that IL We cut il to three
miles the cry would soon be for a two
mile race. then a one-mile race, and
pretty soon we wouldn't have any race
at all So l am for the continuance OF
the four-mile race. However, IL the ad-
vocates OF a three-mile course. agree TO
sign an agreement for twenty years
keeping the distance at three miles, I'll
sign it,
Has Many Advocates.
Coach ConIbear. Of the University of
Washington crew: Capt. Denegre, OF the
Yale crew; Capt. r. L. watrous OF Penn
sylvania: Capt. J. H. Rich. of Syracuse:
Coach Guy Nickals, OF Yale, and Coach
Ten Eyck, OF Syracuse. favor the con-
tinuance Of the four-mile course. Ten
Eyck, regarded as one Of the greatest
rowing experts in the world, had this to
say:
II do not believe that a four-mile course
works any more harm than a three-mile
course would do. I believe that no seri-
GUS injury will come to a man who rows
a four-mile race, provided he Is in good
condition.
Among those who favor the change to
a three-mile course are Charles Courtney.
the famous Cornell coach: George Epler,
of Wisconsin; DIR. Spaeth. of Princeton:
Capt. p. T. Clover. of Leland-Stanford:
Capt. II. L. Ingram. OF the Navy, and
Coach linn RiCa M Colur1bfa
II am unaIterably opposed to the four
mile course" declared Courtney. Il al
ways have and always will be, and feel
that II is about time for some action to
be taken to cut the distance. Four miles
is too long"
Epler declared that he felt three miles
would answer every purpose, and that II
would eliminate some of the present OBJ
jectiOns to rowing.
Rowing q Strain.
Rowing Is a terrible strain on the
heart" declared Capt Arnold Witch.
of the Wisconsin crew. Il have seen two
of the best athletes of Wisconsin ruled
out OF sport because they suffered weak
hearts. due to the terrific strain caused
by three years of strenuous practice for
the crew. l am heartily in favor of a
three-mile course. I believe a man is
capable oI gong along IOr tnree miles al
a mighty good clip, but the fourth mile
is a terrific strain. and it is in the fourth
mile that men begin to go to pieces"
The captains of ten varsity crews were
sounded out on the question of the
change. and seven Of them favored a
change to a three-mile race. Each of the
seven declared that they were able to
shoot their shell along at a mighty clip
for the first three miles, but that during
the last mile every moment meant agony:
every additional stroke seemed to send
them into collapse.
Capt. Briggs, of Princeton, declared:
The last mile of a four-mile race. of
is always the most spectacular. |
but ii is mainly an exhibition of brute
strength and the dying kicks of totally
exhausted oarsuen. II the course were
cut TO three miles II would mean that the |
coarsmen could go into the last mile |
with a pretty good supply of wind and
strength and furnish a wonderfully excit- |
~ finish -