MERCURY, BAY SPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3555, 30 December 1881, Page 2

MERCURY, BAY SPORTS.

Intercolonial^Outrigger Cliam*

pion Itace.

Thb Mercury Bay Regatta took place on Tuesday last. . Although the weather wn« most unfavourable, rain falling during-H greater .part of the day, there was a larcn number of spectators, and much interest was shewn in the various events Th Champion Outrigger Kaco has attraotta! attention not only in Auckland but also i southern and Australian ports, and dntin» the last two days enquiries have been mad« by telegraph and otherwise as to therestuV Our Mercury Bay correspondent telecranto, to-day stating that Carter won easily beat! ing White "by several lengths. Where Floyd was at the finish we are not informed ■but it is very likely that he did not try for the prize, being, as it was well known, ont of training. Betting favoured Carter White finding very few backers, while lloyd was looked upon as good for second place. l'his gives evidence of a very dif. ferent feeling to that which was manifested on the occasion of the contest betwi.«. White and Hearn at Wellington/wheS Aucklandcrs backed the former to win ver» heavily. Since that time White's reputa tion as a scalier has been gradually on tlw wane, and now even his best friends will feel backward in supporting him on any future occasion when he may essay to t™ his skill. . . J *™

Mr John darter, the winner, is about 80 years of age. He was champion amateur sculler at Melbourne during 1873 and 1874. having beaten Christie and Stout, but has not pulled much since. He seems n by no means heavily built man, and is fif fc 9in in height. His outrigger is a beautifiil boat, built by Swaddle and WinshiD cf Newcastle-on-Tyne, four years ago/ of American cedar. The boat is 30 feet g inches long, 11 inches broad at the cockpit 5| inches deep in the centre, 34 inches at the stem, and 2J itches at the stern, aid only weighs 351bs. There is a sliding seat, which permits the rower a 3Olnofi shde, with a slight downward incline aft, so that as the rower leans forward, he sinks a shade lower, mug as he renews his stroke. This is rendered quite easy by the universal roller slide, with which the boat is furnished. It works on little steel wheels, the whole moving very smoothly, and the jerk which was a drawback with the old slide, as tending to deaden the way of the boat, it avoided. The slide and seat complete only weigh 41ba. Probably the excellence of his little craft has had something to do with bis easy victory on this occasion. .Albert White's previous career is so well known here that it is unnecessary to speak thereon. He would probably pull in one of the boats constructed by himself, and in which he pulled against Hearn. It is fitted with most of the new improvements, and is considered a neat and fast craft. . However Albert has not yet done much in it, so of its practical utility wo are yet unable to speak. ■ . • ■

Henry Floyd is an Australian man, alightly built, and about 26 years of age. He has done some rowing in* the South, having been second at Nelson in a contest on one occasion, and third at WangannL Not having a boat of his own, he was under the necessity of borrowing one here, and accepted the offer of one owned by Mr Charles Dacre. This was an outrigger built by Mr Harrison, of Breakwater ?wd, about 12 months ago. She was built to buit the harbour being 32 feet in length and with a great beam of 15 inches. Shehns sliding seats and swivel rowlocks, and, i« fitted with many other modern improvements. MrT. Henderson pnlled in her at the last Ponsonby JXegatta coming in first. Considering the prevalent weather on Tucs. day, therefore, we must consider that Floyd had a very suitable boat, and should have done some work, but as our telegrams do not contain the required information, we must wait patiently for further news.