Princeton Crew Wins, Sets Compton Record

PRINCETON, May 19--In any other of the past 19 Compton Cup races the varsity crew would have set a cup record this afternoon, and would be considered a strong favorite to win the Yale race on June 16. The crew rowed a handsome race covering the mile and three-quarter course over Lake Carnegie in 8:46.8, over two seconds faster than the local cup record made by the 1954 Crimson eight.

This effort, however, was not enough to withstand Princeton's groomed oarsmen, who set a Compton Cup mark in defeating the Crimson, Dartmouth, and M.I.T. in that order. The victory established Princeton as the third best crew in Eastern competition, behind Cornell and Yale, and made the varsity an underdog against the Elis in June.

The times were: Princeton 8:42.8 (the all time Lake Carnegie record is 8:41.4, set by Cornell last May), Harvard 8:46.8 (the old mark for the regatta on Carnegie was 8:49.5), Dartmouth 8:58.3 (the Green was not eligible for the cup), and M.I.T. 9:04.8.

On the basis of the varsity's excellent time trial on the Charles last week, the crew was expected to challenge the Tiger Oarsmen as seriously as it did. Less expected, but highly pleasing to watch was the freshman crew's well rowed victory over Princeton, M.I.T., and Dartmouth.

The times were: Harvard 8:59.7, Princeton 9:01.4, M.I.T. 9:15.7, and Dartmouth 9:17.7.

Before the junior varsity race, Coach Harvey Love had moved Henry Hammond in place of Jack Farlow at four, but the change was not enough to help the J.V.'s.

The J.V. times were: Princeton 8:57.5, Harvard 9:07.9, M.I.T. 9:20.3, and Dartmouth 9:22.1.

Stroke Fritz Schwarz got the varsity off at an opening cadence of 40, which dropped slowly to 35 and settled between 31 and 32 for the first mile; after which, during the last 3/4 of a mile the beat rose quickly to 34 and reached as high as 38 during the varsity's sprinting effort.

As Harvard closed the gap to half a length, the Tiger cadence of 31, which it maintained through the body of the race, rose methodically to 34 and the shell crept steadily ahead. Despite a final burst, which took the stroke to 38, the Crimson fell behind--apparently spent by an effort which in any other year and against any other crew would have meant victory.