Henley Royal Regatta : Harvard Narrowly Beaten by Canadian National Eight

HENLEY-ON-THAMES, England —  Harvard’s trip to the 148th Henley Royal Regatta ended Saturday when the Crimson eight lost to the Canadian national crew by three-quarters of a length in the event’s premier competition, the Grand Challenge Cup.

The Canadians, rowing as Ridley Boat Club, will meet the Soviet national eight in the final. Only three boats entered the event as most British eights reportedly were frightened off by the strength of the opposition.

“We showed there was no need to be afraid,” Harvard Coach Harry Parker said. “But it was bound to be pretty tough to match a crew as good as Ridley.”

Ridley’s other crew, the 1985 world quadruple champion, was timed in a course-record 6:35 in the Queen Mother Cup as the Britons beat the West German boat, Offenbach and Mannheim, by two lengths. It will meet a Soviet Army four in the final.

The Soviets will also be going for two other major titles today--in the Silver Goblets pairs and in the Diamond sculls singles.

World coxed pairs champions Steve Redgrave and Andy Holmes of Britain survived their penalty-imposed false start to advance to a showdown with the world coxless pairs champions from the Soviet Union--Nikolai and Yusi Pimenov.

The Britons, who were at the center of a rule-breaking controversy Friday, posted an easy victory over countrymen Mike Orr and David Riches to reach the final of the Silver Goblets.

West Germany’s Peter-Michael Kolbe also had to begin with a false start against his name in a difficult Diamond sculls semifinal against the Soviet Union’s Yuri Janson.

Kolbe conceded a half-length to Janson, the Soviet national champion, then took a four-length lead and coasted to a 1 1/2-length victory. He will meet another Soviet, Vassily Jakushka, in the final.