CREWS PREPARE FOR SATURDAY'S RACES

With the first big regatta of the season on the Charles only four days away, the University and Freshman crews yesterday entered their final week of preparation with high hopes. On Saturday the M. I. T. and Pennsylvania navies will battle with the Crimson.

Although on Saturday the heavy 1929 eight again defeated the University crews, Coach Stevens will have the same oarsmen in the shells that have rowed since the Princeton race with one exception. Yesterday Howe, who has been stroking the third crew recently, replaced Scudder in the pace-setter's seat of the second boat.

The victory of the Freshman crew on Saturday gave unmistakable evidence that Coach Haines has one of the strongest crews in years. When three weeks ago the Freshmen nosed out Captain Winthrop's shell, it was expected that the University boat would get revenge as soon as it had rowed in the same order for more than three days. Last Saturday, however, the Freshmen did not win by a scant six feet, but in a final spurt pulled nearly a length ahead of Coach Steven's first boat. The second University crew was two lengths behind half way down the course, when the wash from the launches forced them to stop rowing for a moment; from there to the finish they were in rough water and fell far behind.

The Pennsylvania crew will give rowing experts their first basis of comparison between the Harvard and Yale boats. Ten days ago the Eli crew, by a driving finish, led the Penn shell across the line by half a length. The Red and Blue eight is coached by Coach Spuhn, who last year had charge of the University 150-pound crews.

Although the M. I. T. crew was badly defeated early in the season by the Navy, they cannot be counted out of Saturday's race; for it will be remembered that the Navy crew also left Pennsylvania several lengths behind.

Pennsylvania looms as the logical winner of the race for second crews. The Junior University eight has slumped of late, shortness in the water has been a vital fault. Penn's second crew beat the Yale seconds a week ago last Saturday.

The Harvard Freshman crew will be entering its first official race the favorite. In its two tests against the University eight, the 1929 boat has covered the course in 9 minutes 35 seconds and 9 minutes 40 seconds. These were not last times, but the Freshmen have proved their ability to keep up at a low stroke. One internal change in the seating has been made recently Murchie, the tallest man in the boat, has gone to 7, while Saum, the shortest oarsman of the lot, has moved back to 5.

The 150-pound crew will race the M. I. T. lightweights on Friday. The Engineers have triumphed over both Yale and Princeton, and are accordingly favored to win again.

The Charles will not find all the Harvard crews racing over the weekend, for on Saturday at Derby, Conn., the Junior class crew will take on Yale's championship class eight. The Juniors followed their victory of last Thursday by beating the Seniors again on Saturday by three quarters of a length. The Junior class crew is boated as follows: Stroke, C. R. S. Riley; 5, W. K. Rice; 4, Edwin Farnbam; 3, J. H. Olinstead; 2, Hall; bow, J. H. Harwood; cox, Sullivan.