Rowing

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

By "6trok»."

ABBOTT OUT OF LUCK

STAR PAIR FAILS

The championship regatta at Picton was a very disappointing meeting as compared with' the previous championships held at. Wanganui. This year's regatta seemed to be full of misfortunes. The water was rough, and there were many complaints about the organisation of the regatta, fault being found with the starting and umpiring. It is unnecessary to say anything further about the starting other than to draw attention to the fact that a visitor to Picton had to assist, in the starting of some of the crews. As far as the umpiring was concerned the decision not to rerow the single sculls after Jackson (Union, Wanganui) had been sunk by Smith (Waitemata) was ridiculous, the race becoming a mere farce. The temporary postponement of the championship ; fours was unavoidable, but it should not have been allowed to interfere with the rest of the programme in the way it did. In the championship events none of the 1933 champions were successful in defending their titles. .The new champions,- with the 1933 champions in parentheses, are as follows:— Fours. —Wairau: W.. E. Gibbons, H. Kutledge, J. Macdonald, and E. Elsmore. (Auckland: S. Scott, C. Chamberlain, J. AlcComish, and E. Porten) Single Sculls. —Napier: W. Turner. .(■Wanganui Union: A. K. 6. Jacksdn.) Double Sculls.—Waitemata: R. B. Smith and T. A. Johnson. (Wanganui Union: A. K. G. Jackson and E. O. Trail.) •••,.•■•. Pairs. —Avon: G. A. Stiles and F. H. Thompson. (Star:' G. C. Cooke and'F. H. Mullins.) ■ .■ „ ■■■■•■: THE SINGLE SCULLS. Undoubtedly the most disappointing event so far as Wellington oarsmen were concerned was the single sculls, in which a great battle was expected between Abbott and the title-holder, Jackson. It was a most unsatisfactory race from the ' start, and the result caused some heartburning among the big crowd of rowers present. Smith was very upset over colliding with Jackson, and his distress at being the unwitting instrument of the misfortune to the champion left no doubt as to the purely accidental nature of the collision. At the same time the Waitemata man steered shockingly, and had .he not met with censure from the' umpire it would have been n big surprise to those who followed the race. It was indeed hard luck for him that he should me,rit disqualification, but it was'still harder for Jackson, who had"' his chance Incompletely ruined through no fault oj| his own, and was deprived of-any chance of retaining his title: '%..:'■- "^.-f^ •■'-..^^ Jackson appears" to bn under the "Indian sign" on the Picton course, for when in a winning position when racing for ,tho -championship there a few_ years;back-T.ufitericrbss'ed over and collided Iwith,-him,^uttihg - him out of the ' .race,' state's- "the v■ '' Wanganui Chtonicle." There is'no denying that Jackson had- a hard deiil on Saturday. When the , championships; -were being contested at; Hamilton two years ago a collision occurred after: the', scullers had gone over, a, quarter^ a mile.-: -Despite the■ fact thatvtho finances; of the leading men had not suffered to any extent, the umpire immediately called the race off rand ordered;itto?be rerowed, a decision, that ~was K rioti:;qubstipned by anybodyj and did not leave aiiy unpleasant .recollections after; the racing was over. ' OLIMPSE OF THE OBVIOUS. V Petone supporters v expected great deeds from Pat Abbott; ..Not content with: almost piliiig.Jiip his boat on the rocks, he made a real-< day. of it by trying to knock the: baths out of the water. His reply to the bright young thing perched on the edge of the baths, who asked the harassed Pat if he had run into the baths, is believed to have: been stimulating, to say the least of it Abbott's, choice of- a •course was so bad 'SfrV 1 ? w- y co!#^:fcave been much worse... Hisi sculling, however,, was excellent,, and .there: seems-to be every prospect that he'will bring'a "red coat" to Petone next year . aS<?.J h9mPs<»i agam.showcd their supe11° l-'?^ ';Cooke ana,MulHns. Although the. defeat of the Star pair by the/ ,A,yon representatives was ' not altogether, unexpected it came as a surprise- to'> find that they had been pushed, out of second place by Sutherland and- Mac Donald (Wairau). . A-great showing was put up by Abbott and Gimblett (Petone) in the Championship Double Sculls. -It was not generally considered that- they had much chance in this event, and they surprised their most ardent supporters Both men rowed well, and if Gimblett had had the strength to maintain his power towards thennish it is possible that the championship-might have come to Wellington. ' ■ . ' ■

INTER-CLUB EIGHTS

Final arrangements in " coiinection with the Inter-ejub Eights, to be rowed on March 10, were made at."a. meeting of the executive of the Wellington Amateur Bowing Association this week. The first race, between; the Petone No. 1 crew and Star, .will be rowed at 2.45 p.m. '.This will, be followed at 3.15 p.m. by a contest between the Petone No. 2 crow and Wellington. The winners of ithese two races will row off in.the final at 4 p.m. At 4.45 p.m. the provisional Wellington _ representative eight will row against a crew icomprising 'members ;Of the Star and Wellington Clubs. The Star-Wellington crew •will be a particu-larly-strong' one, and ishould fully extend the interprovihcialeight.;;Although the race will be something in the' nature of a test, no 'concern will be felt if the inter-provincial; crew^ is:'*'debated. The reason for this'-i's'ttiat'th'e .'best men in the Wellingtpn.-Star.:-eighti'will be unavailable for:-a- representative crew. The following crews have' been-.selected for the* Inter-Club flights:— • Petone. No.-1: B. Crane (sir), A. Hope, G.'Crabtree, W. Lind, Ev Pritchard, B; Abrim, D. Mcßride, and' C. Bishop. '. ■ •

Petone No. 2: O. Clayton (str), C. "Gimbiett; R. Gardiner, D. Kane, K. Boswell; P. Abbott, L. Home, and B. IRifCby:...'., '

■Wellington: W. Bracken (str), W. G. McLean, E. J.- Tregurtha, H. .J. Luke, H., Spoor, P. Hinchliff, V. Morris, and; 8.-Bedding -(bow). , -

The, Star crew has not yet been selected." The Star-Wellington crew will be selected'by representatives of each club at a later date.