New-York tribune., 1920-02-01
Rice Opposes
Shorter Race
OntheHudsOn
Veteran Coach of Columbia
Crews Believes 4 Miles a
Better Test for COLLEGES


Shortening the Poughkeepsie Varsity
race to three miles will not lessen the
training time of the Columbia crews.
either on the Harlem or on the Hud
son, according to Jim Rice, the Blue
and White coach. The veteran rowing
mentor said yesterday that Columbia
would begin it's practice on the course
at Poughkeepsie on Juno 7, with the
usual margin of three weeks before the
day of the big race.
With his customary foresightedness
the Columbia coach paid a visit to the
Columbia boathouse at Poughkeepsie
IN December and carefully inspected
the entire establishment, which was
found to be in frst-class condition
Several minor improvements will be
made before the Columbia oarsmen are
ensconced In their old quarters in
June.
Opposed to Shortening Race
Rice is still opposed to the reduction
IN the length of the varsity race, de-
spite the unanimous verdict of the
stewards at their meeting last week.
The Columbia coach for many years
led the opposition to this move. and
still maintains that it will not result
in less physical strain on the oarsmen.
He contends that the tendency Of all
crews will be to hit high stroke from
the first gun and to maintain the clip
throughout the race. There will be
none Of the old strategy and no oppor-
tunity for brain work by either the
,oxswain or stroke.
70 prove his point that fast three
mile race will be more wearing than the
four-mile distance, Rice cites the case
of Columbia and Cornell several years
ago, when, after each crew had
cooked" the other by a continuous
sprint, Syracuse came to the fore and
carried off first honors. Under the
three-nlle conditions, says Rice, every
crew Will be cooked" and at the end Of
the race will be more exhausted and
worn than in the longer distance. A
longer, instead of a shorter. training
period will be necessary, in his opinion.
The only beneficial result he sees
will be the likelihood of more crews
entering the annual rowing classic.
Wisconsin, which three years ago mott
fed the stewards that it would enter a
crew in three mile distance only, is
expected to take part in the 1920 re-
gatta, and Rice looks also for entries
from the Pacific Coast, which formerly
sent one and, sometimes, two represen-
! tatives.
Start May Favor Columbia
The new starting line of the main
race has not yet been determined, but
it is believed by rowing men that it will
be nearly opposite the Columbia boat
house, which is mile below the old
take-oft. In that case, the finish would
be nearly IN the same place, probably a
short distance nearer the High Bridge.
With the start near it's boathouse, Co.
lumbia would be in a favorable position
to conserve all its strength for fast,
highstroke race.
Whether or not Columbia will have
to abandon its traditional long stroke
perfected by Rice in his thirteen years
of tutelage, is an uncertain question
1t it becomes necessary the transition
to shorter stroke will be easy. ac-
cording to Rice, who began last fall the
work of preparation for the shorter dis
tance. Crew practice, which has been
interrupted by the mid-year examina-
tions, will resume on February s. and
from that time on Rice will concentrate
on the "pollywog" drills, with which he
hopes to develop the Blue and White
stroke to the necessary high point.
Bob Curry, a capable oarsman, who
rowed on the 1916 Freshman crew and
had place on the varsity when the
war broke out, has returned to the uni
versity and is almost certain to land
finally in the first she'll. He has the
necessary weight and height and is
ideally built for the Rice system.