Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-05
LOCAL CREW LEFT HUSKY
OARsMAN HERE AT HOME
Lum Wexford Unable to Leave for
Philadelphia Until Late
Last Night.
HAD WORKED ON sCHUYLK1LL
Van Vliet Occupied Seat in Eight
Which VIII Row in Big Regatta
To-Morrow-Both Crews Have
Strong Competition.

Minus the huslSiest member of the
eight. the Virginia Boat Club crews
left here yesterday morning at $50
o'clock for Philadelphia, where to-
morrow they will participate in the
Middle States Regatta on the Schuyl-
Kill River. Coach Van Vliet had in
tended putting his charges through a
stir practice over the full course, but
at the last minute Lum Wexford was
unable to get away from his business,
and did not leave here until late last
night. He will arrive in time to take
Il light workout with the rest Of the
crew this afternoon.
In spite of the absence OF Wexford.
the crew practiced yesterday afternoon,
with Van Nliet occupying the seat of
the missing oarsnan. Naturally this
arrangement was not satisfactory, as
the coach was unable to give any in
difidual attention TO the men as would
have been done if the regular crew.
had been in action. The Virginia n
craft made good time over the course.
according to information from Pbila
dclphia.
Two crews will oppose the Virginia
Boat Club Junior eight in the annual
Middle states Association Regatta The
event is TO be decided over the mile
straiEhtaway course, over which Coach
his knowledge OF the course Will be
useful In the race for his crew In
addition to the Richmond Crew, the
Eesper Boat Club OF Philadelphia, and
the Potomac Boat Club, OF Washing
ton, d. C.. will start. 1t promises to be
great race as all three crews are re-
ported to be speedy and expert oars
men over the short course.
In the four oared gig race four crews
In addition to the Virginia Boat Club
combination Will face the starter. They
are the Malta Boat Club. of Philadel-
phia: Atlanta 3. c.. of New York: Ariel
Rowing Club and also Arundel b. C.. OF
Baltimore. so that 1t will be practically
II southern championship race.
ONLY LINE on Local..
CREW IS SINGLE VICTORY
The only line that can he had on the
ability of the Nirginians is through
their defeat of the Analostans on the
James River on June &c. This in IT.
self would not count to much, eycept
for the fact that the Analostans won
the junior cight-oared race at the
Fourth OF July Regatta in Philadelphia,
and rowed dead heat In the inter
mediate race the same day.
OF course, the new 5000 boat which
the Nirsnians have is a great big fac
tor in their favor, 1t being much faster
than the average eight" On the other
hand. they have had no regular COM
petition I'm their daily practice. except
scratch crews, none OF which had suffi-
Gent speed to make the racing crew
draw long breath. Notwithstanding
this handicap. they have showed con-
sistent improvement. both In form and
speed. Last Monday they rowed mile
with the wind. In minutes 81 seconds,
and the next day, against the wind. did
the same distance in minutes 80 sec
onds. Monday they had a scratch
eight pick them up at the half mile.
but the next day did not have any fac
ing.
These performances show that thew
are rowing n stroke that has great pos
sihilities In the way OF speed It diff
fcrs radically from the stroke royed
by Virginia crews during the last five
or ten years. During that time a stroke
similar to tho English stroke has been
in vogue. The similarity to the Eng.
lish stroke consisted chiefly In a very
long hody-swing. Coach Van vlIct cut
tho hody-swing down to the minimum,
and hard leg -drive. claiming that
tho logs. being the strongest part OF
the anatomy, should do the major nor
tion Of the work
Tho fact that Virginia defea ted
Analostan. which used tho long English
body-swlng. and which averaged 1855
pounds per man, while Virginia aver
aged t55 pounds, indicates that Van
Viicts Idea Ii correct.
Mother tho Yespors nor Potomncs,
however, have any "Engiish" In their
rowing. Consequently tho Labor Day
raoo will be won by the crew that has
with ceol-headednosr ana orsed.