Radcliffe Crew Prepares for Nationals

When you mention Cambridge and crew in the same breath, people usually respond with "Harvard, Harry Parker, Newell Boat House." It's been that way ever since Parker first hung his hat next to the ergometer across the Charles eleven years ago.

Well, when the Spring of 1973 goes down in the record books, it may well be regarded as the year Radcliffe rearranged the traditional order of things in Cambridge rowing. You see, the only varsity crew champion that Cambridge had this year stacks its oars at Weld Boat House, not Newell. And that crew is Radcliffe, which won four out of five regular season races and captured the Women's Eastern Spring title.

Now, having sewed up number one ranking in the East with its convincing Sprint triumph and its regular season record, Radcliffe will attempt next week to clear the last hurdle that stands between it and national recognition: The Women's National Championships June 15, 16 and 17 on Philadelphia's Schuylkill River.

For Radcliffe, which will enter both the eights and the fours competition on the Schuylkill, much more is riding on the outcomes than a nation-wide ranking. The winner will go on to the European Championships in Moscow the last week in August, where women will be allowed to complete for the first time ever.

The nationals will be the ultimate measure of how far the 'Cliffe crew has actually come since last Fall. As the nationals are not strictly a collegiate competition, there will be powerful veteran crews entered from women's rowing clubs across the country and also the top collegiate boats.

Cautious optimism prevails in Weld Boat House as the 'Cliffe squad goes into it next-to-last week of preparation. "I know we're good, but I don't know how good everybody else is," 'Cliffe coach John Baker said Saturday. "I just don't know how much faster we can go."

Radcliffe's stiffest competition should come from the Lake Merritt Rowing Club of Oakland, California, and from the University of Wisconsin. Lake Merritt chooses its boat from over 600 candidates and averages nearly 30 pounds heavier per person than the boat Radcliffe will enter.

Wisconsin is the top women's crew in the Midwest. Of the boats that Radcliffe defeated during the regular season, it appears that only Connecticut College and Williams will enter the nationals. Princeton, the only team to defeat the 'Cliffe this season, has apparently scuttled its national aspirations after its disastrous fourth-place showing in the Sprints.

Baker expects both Conn College and Williams to be much tougher than they were during the Spring. "They'll both be a lot faster than they were when we met them," he said.

For Radcliffe, the training slowdown brought on by exams is the greatest problem at the moment. Since the Sprints, the 'Cliffe has been taking it relatively easy. Now, with the biggest race of the year looming in less than two weeks, the question is can the 'Cliffe bounce back from exam-period inactivity.

"We've lost a lot of speed since the Sprints," Baker said. "It's going to be a question of how spirited we are after the long layoff."

For the nationals Baker will stick with the same lineup that rowed for Radcliffe in the Sprints, although he hasn't "yet decided on a seating arrangement." In the eights he will put Charlotte Crane at stroke, Anne Robinson at bow, Ginny Smith at two, Connie Cervilla at three, Kathy Sullivan at four, Jenny Getsinger at five, Lillian Hunt at six, Allison Hill at seven and Nancy Hadley at cox.

In fours, Radcliffe will enter Judy Levine at bow, Kathy Barbash at two, Debbie Harrington at three and Dottie Kent at stroke. Sally Parker will cox the four.

Radcliffe's eight will be competing in the heavyweight division, but the four will be racing in both the light and heavy competition. The heats begin on June 15. The finals will take place the next two days.