Crimson Tigers jumped the Toray Rowing Club and Keio University at the start, going off the line at 47 strokes per minute, settling to a 41 by the 500 meter halfway mark, maintaining a lead of a few feet over Toray at that point, with Keio falling back quickly. But Toray had started its move back on the Crimson Tigers just before the halfway mark, and the Tigers could not hold Toray off, as Toray took back almost 2 seconds in the last 500 meters, defeating the Tigers at the finish line by about 4/10ths of a length. Conditions were ideal, totally flat with mostly glassy water, about 68 degrees fahrenheit, and just the suggestion of a slight head wind, but hardly noticeable.
Photo: At the finish line.
