Sport: On, Wisconsin

More than 10,000 spectators lined the shore of Onondaga Lake, at Syracuse, N.Y., for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association regatta. For the first time in years, Syracuse University’s home-town crew was picked to win. As Referee Clifford (“Tip”) Goes sent the shells streaking away from their stake boats, no one paid much attention to the University of Wisconsin’s crew, which had not even been good enough to qualify for the finals of the Eastern sprint championships last month, had, in fact, wound up dead last in the consolation race.

For the first mile of the three-mile grind, Syracuse held the lead, but at the halfway mark, running a stroke under Syracuse, Coach Norm Sonju’s Wisconsin eight forged in front. At two miles, Syracuse edged closer. But with a half mile to go, Wisconsin mounted a killing sprint at 39 strokes per minute, coasted home to win by two lengths for its first I.R.A. victory since 1951, when the regatta was held at Marietta, Ohio.

Watching from the river bank as Wisconsin breezed home was the Naval Academy’s Rusty Callow, 68, dean of U.S. rowing coaches, whose Navy crews dominated the I.R.A. in 1952, 1953 and 1954. Developer of countless great oarsmen and rowing coaches in a 37-year career, Callow was forced to step down from active coaching a month ago because of failing health and eyesight. But at the finish of the race last week, Rusty Callow could feel satisfied. His Navy crew, only a mediocre outfit this season but revamped for the I.R.A., made a gallant closing spurt, finished a strong third, just a deck length back of Syracuse.