 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Yale-Harvard Regatta Notes |
|
|
|
By Steve Conn, Yale Director of Sports Publicity
It is the oldest collegiate athletic competition. Sports Illustrated named this event the most venerable rivalry in college sports. There have been 136 meetings since 1852, which makes this year’s event the 150th anniversary. There are three rowing competitions, one of which is the longest race anywhere. It’s the Yale-Harvard Regatta (a.k.a. THE Boat Race), and the next one is Saturday, June 8, on the Thames River in New London, Conn.
THE SCHEDULE
The freshman two-mile sprint is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m., followed by the three-mile junior varsity race at 4:00. The featured four-mile varsity race should launch at 5:00. All races are upstream and will finish at Bartlett’s Cove. In the event of inclement weather, the races may be postponed until Sunday, June 9. In that case, the freshman race will begin at 7 a.m., followed by the JV race at 7:45 and the varsity race at 8:45.
RACE HISTORY
The country’s first intercollegiate sporting event occurred in August of 1852, when the Yale and Harvard crews set out on a two-mile race on Lake Winnepesaukee in New Hampshire. The Crimson won that inaugural race and has since built an 83-53 varsity advantage in the Regatta series. The longest win streak by either school is Harvard’s 18-year string from 1963 to 1980. The second longest was 11 years (Harvard 1985-96). Yale’s longest streak is six, done twice around the turn of the century (1892-98, 1900-05). New London has hosted the Regatta on all but five occasions since 1878.
COMPARING VARSITIES
The Yale varsity (3-4 record) enters the regatta ranked 12th in the national poll compared to Harvard’s (5-0) standing at No. 3. The Crimson was seeded first at the Sprints but finished second, while the Bulldogs took 9th overall at Worcester. Yale is led by head coach Dave Vogel ’71, while Harvard has 40th-year mentor Harry Parker (Penn ’57).
LAST YEAR’S RACE
The day was perfect for watching a rowing race, but there was little competition for the fast Crimson boats last June. The Crimson heavyweights swept the Sunday races, finishing things off with a decisive 37.1-second win in the four-mile upstream contest. Harvard was timed in 18:55.6, the sixth-fastest time in series history, while Yale trailed in 19:32.7. The day started with a Harvard win in the two-mile freshman race. The Harvard frosh cruised to a 9:39.38 to 9:56.80 win. In the three-mile second varsity contest, Yale jumped out to a one-length lead before Harvard recovered. The Crimson started to move back at a half-mile, then surged in front at Mamacoke Hill as the boats crossed the one-mile buoy. Harvard ended up with a four-length win, 14:23.7 to 14:37.5.
UPS AND DOWNS
This is the 56th upstream race on the Thames with Harvard holding a 32-22 advantage in that direction. The Cantabs have won 12 straight races starting by I-95 and heading north. The upstream record was set by Harvard in 1995 with an 18:45.5. Harvard holds a 34-26 advantage over Yale in downstream races though the Elis have won the last two (1996, 1999). The four-mile downstream record time of 18:22.4 was set by Harvard in 1980.
REGATTA ON THE RADIO
All three races will be broadcast live on WNLC-98.7 FM, which has been covering the race since 1937. The race can also be heard through the live web-cast at www.wnlc.com. Coverage will begin at 3:00 p.m. with veteran Regatta commentator Charlie Hamlin and Yale lightweight crew coach Andy Card calling the action.
BOAT DEDICATIONS
Two new Yale rowing shells are scheduled to be dedicated on June 7 as part of an alumni/anniversary celebration at the Bulldog camp. Donald Beer ’57, captain of the 1957 heavyweight Yale crew, will be honored on one of the vessels. Beer ran the Olympic Torch relay in 1996 and then passed away that fall. The name Jerry Ramano is to be inscripted on the side of the other boat. Ramano worked with Yale crew for 47 years, mostly as the rigger. He retired in 1989 and died a few years after.
FERRY GOES BOTH WAYS
The Gales Ferry community has always been active in promoting the regatta. Yale camp neighbors Margo Seawall and Rene Murkle paint “Good Luck Yale” in blue and white on the street every year. But they have taken it a step further this year. The town, which is not partial, has installed signs at both ends of route 12. One reads, “Welcome to Gales Ferry, Home of the Yale-Harvard Regatta.” The other welcome sign reads, “Home of the Harvard-Yale Regatta.”
YALE’S OLDEST LIVING OARSMAN TURNS 100 ON DAY OF REGATTA
James Stillman Rockefeller ’24, known to his friends as “Stillman,” was one of Yale’s greatest rowers. Now he is the oldest living Bulldog oarsman and will turn 100-years-old on June 8, which happens to be the day of this year’s regatta. He is also the oldest living U.S. Olympic Gold medalist, according to U.S.O.C. records. Stillman is the son of William G. Rockefeller, 1892, who was a great nephew of John D. Rockefeller, the Treasurer of Standard Oil. Stillman captained the gold medal winning heavyweight crew in the 1924 Olympic competition at Paris, and his photo was prominently placed on the cover of Time Magazine on July 7th of that year. He was also presented with one of the George H.W. Bush “Lifetime of Leadership” Awards at the 2001 Yale University Athletics Blue Leadership Ball. Rockefeller became President and Chairman of Citi Bank of New York. He was director of the National City Foundation, National City Safe Deposit Company and the International Banking Corporation. He also served as Vice President of the National City Realty Corporation and the Director of the Sound Ridge Land Company, the National Cash Register Company, Pan American World Airways, the American Smelting and Refining Company, the American Hawaiian Steamship Company and the Cranston Print Works Company. In 1942, Stillman went on active duty as a major and served with the Airborne Command and Airborne Center as assistant chief of staff. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the General Staff Corps at the time of his discharge in 1945. Rockefeller, who was at the dedication of the Gilder Boathouse, is a former trustee of the American Museum of Natural History and a former member of the Board of Overseers of the Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases. He also served on the University Council as an advisor to the School of Forestry.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 |
|
|
