Oarswomen Prepare Holiday Costume Race

The witching hour comes early this year--3 p.m. today on the murky waters of the Charles River.

Passers-by should be on the lookout for an enclave of goblins, witches and ghosts competing in their annual trial by water. But they should fo forewarned: these witches float.

Members of the Radcliffe crew team will celebrate this year's Seventh Annual Radcliffe Crew Halloween Regatta by donning costumes and competing in a two-mile race from the Boston University bridge to Newell Boathouse, said crew Co-Captain Meg G. Brooks '93.

The 80-member team was divided at random into 10 groups of eight, who then chose a costume in which to compete, Radcliffe crew Coach Elizabeth H. O'Leary said yesterday.

O'Leary said the event is intended as a chance for members of the varsity, light-weight and novice teams to get acquainted.

"It's a fun way for the whole team to get together," she said. Prizes will be awarded to the best crew and best costume, O'Leary said.

In past years team members have come up with a variety of innovative costumes. The rowers have disguised themselves as a number of humorous objects, including human-sized dominoes, Lifesavers and things one could find floating in the Charles, O'Leary said.

The costumes also included "some things I can't mention," she said.

Some members of the crew team contacted yesterday insisted on keeping their costumes a closely guarded secret until the moment of the event.

O'Leary said she was looking forward to this year's race.

"It's fun," she said, "It's not the most beautiful race, but [it's] in the spirit of the season."