Norwich bulletin., 1919-06-21

Rowing beautifully timed race. Yale gained the Thames regatta pres tige at dusk Friday. defeating liar ward in the four mile varsity event by scant half length of open water after one of. the bitterest aquatic struggles ever staged on the historic waterway from Gales Ferry to the New. London drawbridge. For more than mile and half the two knife under the propulsion of the powerful strokes of the oarsmen and so close were they aligned that the official timers could not detect a fraction of second difference at the various half mile flags.
 It was not until the two mile posts were reached that the Blue blades could drive the bow of their shell even few feet ahead of that of the Grim son but once this advantage was gain ed the Harvard crew. rowing with dogged determination and gameness seldom seen in such four mile races, was unable to creep back into a tie, let alone shove their bow into the lead. The Cambridge crew made a desperate attempt to turn defeat into victory half mile from the finish and for moment picked up a trif1e of the distance, but Yale answered with a spurt which slowly drew them away as the Crimson oarsmen, exhausted by their efforts, rolled on their slides and slowly lost headway with the fin- ish posts almost within their reach. Breaks Tie in Series.
 Friday night the Yale adherents were celebrating the victory with more than usual ardor for the defeat of Harvard in the feature event of the regatta, the first to be rowed since 1916, has more than the ordinary sig nificance. The victory breaks the tie which has existed since the last bi., race. when Harvard by sweeping the river, won her 25th big race and drew even with Yale in the series of inter- varsity contests which date back into ! the early fifties.
 This 51st regatta was marked by other features for while Harvard crews won the two preliminary contests row
 ed earlier. in the day, it remained for
 Yale to capture the four mile row with
 a crew coached by amateur from ar
 equally powerful eight prepared by q l veteran professional water man w,ll
 has been fixture at Cambridge fol lyears. YsIe Stamina Wor.
 Sn sight was the differen.s ill 1ow ing form and ability of the two crows
 however, that 1t is general opirior ! among expert rowing authorities tha there is honor and to spare for botf the members of the winning and los ing crews and their respectiv, Eceaches, Professor Mather Abbott ant William Haines. Close analysis of tn,
 performances of the two eights shoy that Yale held to trifie higher strok,
 which was whipped through the wate with just little more power thai
 that of Harvard and in the gruellin, last half mile had more reserve stam
 ina with which to stand off the las desperate challenge of the Crimson Although 'rowed almost two hour
 after the official starting time, whicl had been set for $ D. m, the race wa
 contested under ideal conditions iron the standpoint of the oarsnan al
 though the rapidly waning light de ] prived the spectators on the obseva
 tion trains of a clear view of tn
 crews for more than half the distanc
 from start to finish. In other respect
 the setting for the regatta was a perfect as in any of the pre-war con tests. Both shores of the Thame were lined with knots of spectator
 who occupied every point of Vantag along the four mile stretch whil
 long observation trains freighted t
 the limit, steamed along with the rae ing eights. their canvas covered gon
 dolas appearing in the distance Hk
 lines of a. caravan trekkins across tn continent in the days of the '49 gol
 craze.
 See Race From German submarin ) Anchored just outside the racin
 lanes were long lines of flag and pen
 nant-strung+ craft ranging from
 small motor boat to ocean pleasur