COLT WAGNER'S EIGHT NIPS CURWEN'S IN PHOTO FINISH

Bus Curwen's Sophomore-packed eight provided amost all the thrills on a windswept Charles yesterday afternoon when it came within inches of leading a fleet of five Varsity heavy and four 150-pound crews across rings down the curtain on the fall rowing season.

Not conceded much chance of providing the squad's more experienced oarsmen much competition, Curwen's shell, seated practically as it was last June at New London when it walked away from the Eli Freshmen, pushed colt Wagner's boatload to the very limit, as the two crews finished within inches of each other, well ahead of the other seven.

With a time-tested stern four, Wagner's shall took the start, and, after having beaten off an early challenge by Jack Wilson's eight, settled down with about a half-length advantage over the rest of the fleet, which was maintained for the first quarter mile.

At this point Curwen's eight clicked and pulled out of the ruck to take a narrow lead. Buck Anderson and Wilson were bow and bow just behind Wagner until a reverse crab, caught near the Mass. Avenue Bridge, stopped the Anderson craft dead in its tracks.

Won on Catch

For the last half mile down the course it was nip and tuck with the two leading eights. The Sophomores lost their advantage, regained a little of it, only to fall behind by about a half-deck length with only a hundred years remaining. Curwen's closing sprint failed by inches to catch the victorious Wagner, who stroked the jayvees most of last spring. When the two hit the finish line Wagner's oars were last in the water, and that added impetus was a winning margin.

Wilson's boatload nipped the surging Anderson shell by another fractional margin, and Bristol Hall's heavy, crossing fifth, edged out the first fifty to finish, stroked by Johnny Abbot, who had waged a nip and tuck battle down the course with Bobby Lincoln until a crab put his fifty out of the competition.