Year: 1876




THE oxFoRD-cAMBRIpGE RACE


The London SportsIaan, February Il, has the follow
ing comments regarding The English University boat
race. -


We are glad 10 see that the four Cambridge
oonta Dale Of Lady Margaret and Fairbarn OF Jesus
II at least shows that these two men, though not so far
promoted the eight beginning TO be recognized
better men than Greenbank Of 81 Johns or Decker
pf Lady Margaret, both OF whom hAo = lew days ago
been preferred TO the first two named, but who now
figure neither eight nor four still better step has
been taken the Introduction OF Hockin the right
At No at first and subsequently at No a. Lewis being
70 No 5 SO far this rs an importation Of
siderable strength into the boat for there should be
opinions the amount OF work done by Hockin
compared 10 that OF which Greenbank seemed capabla
We however still stick 10 our former opinion that the
will not be made up at It's best I'LL out OF Dale,
hchell and Farbairn, al least two, and possibly all
three introduced TO the eight TO the exclusion
U some OF those now rowing. The chance Of
Rhodes rowing again seems 70 become more aud more
remote. and this Is especially 70 be regretted
stroke il very much wanted, TO inspire life and dash
Into the We must say that we are disap
pointed OF late with Shafto's stroke liked what
saw Of the Trial eights last December at Little
port but since then 1t has become quite sluggish de-
holent catch, and deficient recovery both Of
hands and body. This snggishness impregnates all
the men behind him, and we feel sure that shafto
would show much more advantage II he
behind some other oarsmen, even behind one in
ienor 20 himself IN general style We are inclined TO
lhBk that he has spoiled himself by trying TO too
slow q stroke be has made his stroke slow In obe-
denoe 10 orders but has done So not by diminishing
the pace OF his swing forward but by sackenng the
pace Of his the water, and by hanging with both
arms and body Al the finish the stroke The slow
ness acquired by these artificial means when once
be begins 70 SWING forward his body moves as fast as
u would al q stroke Of thrty-iwo minute II rowed
withou hang vet all the while he rs rowing little more
lhaD twenty-five a minute. This habit of hanging, II
checked. Will ingram itself not onyin him, but
also the whole crew, and when they hereafter come
10 racing the time lost IN hanging and exeruon ex-
pended bucketing forward TO make up Tor Thai lost
lime will then tell most seriously against them.
fhore Sill time TO remedy all these shortcomings,
hut still time dies and reforms should not be post
roned toe long We are not at all sure that Lewis
would not make good stroke. Either he or FRir-
barn In that place. with Shaito removed 10 No. or
elsewhere, would, We believe soon wake up the crew
and alter the style from death TO life Unless stroke
has wonderful powers Of clevery balancing his body
forward the recovery, with measured swing, yet
without any loss of time with hands or body, be
should attempt anyth ing slower than twenty nine
minute Such stroke AS this last named Is quite
,ov enough for ordinary purposes and prac-
without distressing them TO such an extent as
40 make them TOO exhausted TO attend 10 the admon-
t,on Of their coach and the faults In their FORM
However, that Cambridge have begun with one
good reform shall hope that they may be consid-
sred the up line and that by the end Of next week
stl greater Improvement may be visible In the crew.


Oxford have had their practice broken into 10 some
estent by the ndisposition IN turn o Miller oi Exeter
and Williams, of Corpus They have, however, even
with these interruptions, presented Tar more settled
appearance than their rivals have done However,
changes do not work much harm at this early
period OF practice SO long q crew Is well settled
when training begins there Is plenty OF time len them
~ get them INTO time and swing hichison and Bou-
slead have been changed each from one side OF
the boat 70 the other, and now occupy respectively
places the sides that they held IN the race OF
last year The boat tried last Thursday, bot
not anticipate that her launching was more than
. trial that she will really be brought into use for
some time The crew are by no means so
well together rs 10 be ripe for her. We fancy that
they have been falling into the opposite extreme
Of error 10 that adopted oy cambridge; ana nave nave
certainly have not got together much as they ought
"a have done during the past fortnight Too fast =
stroke before reasonably nt only has the effect
of blowing the men and OF making them unable 10 at
1and 70 ihe correction OF their faults They thus,
soon as they become pumped, fall INTO all their old
errors hardened In them instead oi amend
ing them The is a particularly powerful one,
aud II will be pity II s elegance should be marred BY
400 much buoketine al that perod OF practice when
Atien lion should confined more TO amending faults
81 style than acquiring condition There - plenty
Of time 10 look aier the latter after ASH Wednesday
has passed The zig eight built by j. H. Clasper which
her lightness may be temptation 10 try 10 get too
much pace out OF her but " they were using AZ
ths moment a regular racing craft We should think
thirty strokes minute . maximum pace desirable al
this period xtiil more when cinker buih boat is
In use Care should always be taken not 70 pu crew
40 pieces by overwork before the time comes for ac-
eeierang the stroke 10 racing pace The latter neeu
not be commenced t about the last two weeks Oh
training and the more = crew has studied uniformity


meantime At slow stroke. the better chance has u OF
keeping that uniformity when the pace has 10 be in
creased Taken q whole the style VI oxford Is much
lveer than Cambridge, both IN the matter Of dash at
the beginning the stroke and IN quick recovery OF
hand bodies the onish but still II is not all that
could be desired and in the latter point little more
brskness would improve all the men, from stroke up
ward The stroke ls loug At starting; but at times
nbort the end Of long spell The remedy for this
Va Ne We pointed out above slower rate Of stroke in
practice TN the men get thoroughly IT.


ON FRIDAY. February IL, the respective crews were


l.. IL.