THE SPORT OF ROWING won by two and one-half lengths after three miles down the Estuary.”2138 www.huskycrews.com: “The results on the water on May 22nd would speak volumes for the talent on this [Washington] team. On the Estuary, the freshmen began the day with a two-length win over the Bears. The Jayvees followed up with a three length win. The Varsity finished the day with a three length win. “In all three races, Cal took the early lead, and in the Jayvee and Varsity events were ahead through the mile and a quarter mark, before Washington’s strength and en- durance carried the crews past their competi- tion.”2139 It is interesting to note that in this Olympic year, even though Washington won, it was Cal that was ahead at the end of the mile and a quarter or 2,000 meter Olym- pic distance. Then each crew separately took on the University of Wisconsin. The New York Times: “Al Ulbrickson’s eight, one of his lightest, set a course record on Lake Washington in defeating Wisconsin by five and a half lengths [c. 22 seconds] in a two-mile brush.”2140 California broke up their cross-country train trip to Poughkeepsie with a stop in Madison, Wisconsin, where they beat the Badgers by seven seconds. Wisconsin would later place eighth out of eleven at Poughkeepsie, around half a minute behind their two West Coast oppo- nents. Washington Showdown At some point on their trip to Pough- keepsie, there was a much-anticipated race- off between the opposing Washington Jayvee and Varsity boats, but the details are apparently lost now in the mists of time. When I spoke to him in 2005, Varsity 7- seat Rod Johnson had no recollection of the race at all. Jayvee 5-seat Gus Giovanelli remem- bers it happening in Madison, Wisconsin: “We took the lead at the start, but eventually the other boat started creeping back. The second they had edged past us, Al stopped the race early because he had gotten the re- sult he was looking for.”2141 Jayvee 7-seat Bob Martin has a quite different recollection: “I’m pretty certain the last time trial was in Poughkeepsie. We started even, and when we started to pull ahead, Al stopped us, and that was the crowning blow. “We really thought that Al might switch the boats, and that we’d become the Varsity if we won. It had been done before, but he didn’t do it. “He didn’t let us finish the race.”2142 Associated Press: “The Huskies’ coach announced there would be no change in his Varsity line-up, which is unbeaten this sea- son. He said his shell is faster than the one which finished third last year behind Navy and Cornell. “The Washington Varsity includes four sophomores, three juniors and one senior. Three members of the first boat were oars- men of the victorious Poughkeepsie yearling shell last year – Rod Johnson, No. 7; Nor- man Buvick, No. 5; and Bob Young, No. 3. “Charlie McCarthy, 175-pound2143 jun- ior from Seattle, will stroke the Huskies.”2144 2138 Lemmon, p. 39 2139 www.huskycrews.com 2140 11 Crews Entered at Poughkeepsie, The New York Times, June 20, 1948 2141 Giovanelli, op. cit. 2142 Martin, op. cit. 2143 He was actually 165 pounds 75 kg. 590
