University of Virginia Library

Oarsmen Leave Georgetown U. Varsity In Their Wake

By PETE GLUBIAK

Under beautiful skies and
very good rowing conditions
on the Potomac, the
University's crew team
defeated Georgetown
University last Saturday
afternoon. A large crowd was
on hand to witness a full
schedule of events leading to
the premier contest between
the two well known small
college rowing powers.

In its biggest victory of the
season the team took its lead
early and hung on to it, despite
some rather shaky points, to
cross to the line a full length
ahead of the Georgetown's first
eight. The times were
respectable if not outstanding,
with the Wahoo first eight
finishing the 2000 meter
course in 6:32 to Georgetown's
6:36.

Unfortunately, the other
two races for the Cavalier
oarsmen did not turn out as
well as expected. The J.V. race
was a close one till the last 700
meters when the Hoya's eight
walked away to a two length
victory in 6:49. The Virginia
second boat also had its
difficulties due to the fact that
three men had to be used from
the frosh eight, which had
already rowed its own race.

After an uneventful season
to date, with victories over
Morris Harvey College and East
Carolina balanced against losses
to Navy and Marietta College,
the team was very happy get
at least one solid victory under
its belt before the Southern
Nationals this weekend at
Stone Mountain, Ga.

Georgetown's frosh eight
rumored to be a Dad Vail
contender this year took on
the Va. third eight in the first
race of the featured events and
lost to the much larger and
more experienced eight. The
Wahoo rookies did pull out a
second place by defeating
Washington College's freshman
eight.

The heart of the season gets
under way this weekend with
the team traveling to the
SIRA's to defend its title as
"the" rowing power in the
South. The regatta which is a
big event for the far southern
schools gives them a chance to
test themselves against some
Dad Vail competitors. Schools
such as Rollins, Jacksonville,
FIT and Alabama field teams
and with the increased
emphasis on rowing as a varsity
sport including scholarship
offers these southern schools
are producing better teams
each year.

With the Southern's this
Thursday, Friday and Saturday
and the D.C. Championships
next weekend, the oarsmen
will be well prepared for the
National Small College
Championships May 10-12th in
Philadelphia. The team will
probably field a varsity eight
and a four as well as possibly a
freshman or lightweight boat
for competition in
Philadelphia.

As the season heads into its
final three weeks of competition,
Coach Bob Tansik expects to
work a great deal more on the
fine points such as sprints and
a higher stroke and in so doing
come up with a winning team
the rest of the way.