University of Virginia Library

Varsity Heavyweights, JVs, Capture Honors
In Savannah's Southern Championships

By PETE GLUBIAK

In spite of its many
technical setbacks, the
University crew team
continued its dominance in
Southern rowing circles with
an important victory in the
Southern Championships held
in Savannah, Ga. last weekend.

The heavyweight varsity
took the featured event,
winning over a not-too-tough
field of 11 other competitors
to retain the cup which they
won last year.

This year the regatta was
held on a short course of only
1800 meters as opposed to a
regular course of 2000 meters.
The varsity won its race in a
fast but not overwhelming time
of 5:29, four seconds faster
than their nearest competitor,
Rollins College.

Jack Kelly, the current
president of the AAU and a
major figure in the U. S.
rowing program was on hand
to present awards.

Virginia Rowing Club Seen In Action On Rivanna Reservoir

It was also announced over
the weekend that a member of
Virginia's varsity eight, Norton
Schlachter, has received a bid
to participate in the Olympic
Trials beginning this June in
Philadelphia.

Schlachter has been a
member for all of his four
years here at the University
and has been a key figure in
the team's success in the last
two years.

Along with its unusual
shortness, the course contained
a sharp dogleg forcing the
shells to turn at a nasty angle
around the 500 meter mark.
Turning in the midst of a race
requires quite a bit of skill
from the coxswain.

Following the lead of the
Varsity, the Virginia JV took
their even in what was also a
very respectable time of 5:39.
Rollins College was again their
closest competitor among the
six schools in the finals.

In other events at the
regatta, the first-year crew
took a distant second behind
FIT, but succeeded in showing
that they are still improving.
The lightweight varsity took a
strong third in their event
losing to what were, in effect,
the only varsity crews
representing FIT and Alabama.

All in all, it was an
extremely successful step in
the crew teams' building
toward Philadelphia later on
this month. The varsity still
showed that they held
preeminence in the South and
the team proved itself capable
of a win over major college
competition.

Saturday the crews travel to
Marietta, Ohio to try to offset
an early-season varsity loss to
Marietta College in the Mid America
Cup. It promises to be
a big race since Virginia and
Marietta look to be the teams
to beat in the small colleges.