Heavies, Lights Try to Keep Sprint Titles

Last Saturday at the Adams Cup, Navy threw an unexpected monkey wrench into the gears of the usually domineering Penn and Harvard crews. So this week, in an effort to recapture the intercollegiate rowing crown, Ted Nash and Harry Parker have pulled all the stops in preparation for the showdown at Saturday's Eastern Sprints.

The defending champion Crimson boat, in an effort to erase the two-second margin Navy defeated it by Saturday, has moved J. V. stroke Roger Brooks into the number eight seat, Captain Bill Hebbs has shifted from stroke to number six and Paul Ramsey was switched from the J. V. boat to the varsity's number-two position.

"We've had a good week of workouts and I think with the changes we're rowing better as a unit," Parker said last night.

Also preparing for the 5:15 p. m. final race on Worcester's Lake Quinsigamond, the Quakers have been making some bold changes. Last year, Penn lost to Harvard in the finals by 1.8 seconds and this year they have to pick up five seconds on the Middies from the Adams Cup.

They have been practicing all week to speed up their leg drive and for the first time in many years they have abandoned their characteristic German rigging for the more conventional standard rigging. Ted Nash has also improved the strength of his port side with the addition of Olympian Luther Jones, who while still at Penn, has been stroking the Vesper eight this spring.

According to Nash, Jones asked to return to Penn crew this week, and after a team vote, he was welcomed back with open arms. Jones will be racing at number-six in the varsity boat stroked by captain Dave Young.

"We had a good week of concrete practice and that was mandatory after the Adams Cup." Nash said last night. "Having to pick up five seconds in crew is like having to pick up ten points in basketball. You're still in the ball game but you definitely have to change some things if you're going to win."