| Harvard manages to pull through
By John Powers, Globe Staff, 6/20/2004 Harvard's heavyweight crew startled the rowing world yesterday, coming out of last place midway through its World Cup repechage to defeat Olympic contenders Great Britain and France and reach this afternoon's six-boat final in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Crimson varsity, coming off back-to-back unbeaten collegiate seasons for the first time since 1976, was considered a long shot against the world's top national crews, which are using the regatta as a final tuneup for the Athens Olympics in August. "Have a little fun, cause a little trouble," stroke Kip McDaniel, one of two Canadians in the boat, said before Harvard left for Europe last week to race as USA II. "We have nothing to lose." The Crimson, making their first appearance in a top international regatta since the fabled 1968 boat reached the Olympic final in Mexico City, appeared overmatched after finishing last in its heat Friday. But yesterday, grouped with three of the world's top four crews (including the likely US Olympic eight), Harvard moved through the British and French in the third 500 meters of the 2,000-meter race to finish fourth with more than half a length to spare behind USA I, Italy, and Egypt, all of whom join world champion Canada and Australia in the final. It was at Lucerne that the 1965 varsity made the cover of Sports Illustrated with a stunning victory and began a string of impressive international performances that included a silver medal at the 1967 world championships, a gold at the Pan American Games, and the Olympic final. After Lucerne, the Crimson head for Henley (along with the JV and freshman eights) for next month's royal regatta, where they will row in the Grand Challenge Cup, which they have won four times, most recently in 1985. This story ran on page E14 of the Boston Globe on 6/20/2004. © Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.
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