ROWING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 304, 24 December 1929, Page 15

ROWING.

COMING REGATTAS. EVENTS AT TAURANGA. HINTS TO CREWS. To Tauranga regatta on Friday for the first serious test of the season is the thought occupying the minds of all Auckland provincial oarsmen. The East Coast gala provides a fine tryout, and often results in the best conditioned crews meeting with success. It offers the cracks a great opportunity to discover faults with their crews when under pressure. The weather during the last week has considerably interfered with the work in the boats, but the finishing touches were given 011 Saturday afternoon. The majority of the clubs have encountered the same adverse conditions, the one exception being Hamilton, who have had the quieter waters of the W aikato for training. This fact has placed the country club's crew at a great advantage. Splendid entries have been received for Tauranga, and it is pleasing to note that two Whakatane crews figure among the contestants. This club's crews will be found in the light and heavy maiden class. They will meet a severe test, for these races should provide the best on the programme. The heavy maidens provide the biggest entry of the day, nine crews being entered. The one great hope is that all will listen to the starter, and set off and keep their own courses. This event should be worth going a long way to see. The junior fours promises another fine race, aiid the winners are hard to select. The single seulls handicap has drawn eight entries, and at this stage of the season it is anyone's race. A guide will be given to the form Turner, the present holder of the New Zealand title, is showing. Stevenson is at present below form; St. Clair has had a lot of work on the river; Conway's condition is good. In Horton St. George's have a representative who did a lot of sculling in England. The senior fours should go to Hamilton, and the remaining races are very open, ' Any forecast at present offered, however/may receive a severe setback 011 account of the water conditions. At the time of writing these are bad, but it is to be hoped a big improvement will take place, and that the best crew and not the one that can keep afloat will catch the judge's eye. Next week the Whangarei regatta will claim attention, and, whatever occurs at Tauranga, many results are bound to Le upset up north. Inter-club Eights. The following are the conditions for the annual inter-club eight-oar ra *e for the Dr. Stuart Reid Cup:—(l) Race to be held on the Whan Creek (course two miles); (2) Sunday, February 9, to take the form ot an all-day picnic; (3) races to be held as far as possible at 11.30 a.m., 12.15 p.m., 1 p.m., 1.45 p.m. and 3 p.m.; (4) one crew only from each club; (5) coxswains to be Bst and over. Entries will close on January 25 with the secretary, H. H. Duck, c/o P.O. Box 1, and crews will be drawn on Febiuary 4. Officials have not yet been appointed, but T. Marshall is one of the marshals to get the crews along. G. Rjiton has offered his boat for the day, and will probably be judge. Interprovincial Eights. The third annual interprovincial eight-oar race for the HallyburtonJohnstone Cup will take place on the Whau River course on March 22, and gives promise of being thoroughly representative. The crews already mantioned are Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, Wanganui and Auckland. The course is a splendid one for such a race, giving the crews a straight run with plenty of room, and the spectators a splendid view. The New Zealand championship regatta takes place at Picton on February 15. There seems every likelihood of Auckland clubs being represented. The compliments of the season to all oarsmen, and the best of luck at the various resattas are offered by the writer. May the water conditions be ideal, and the best crews win. Clubhouse Gossip. I. C. Hortcn and V. Dunne intend flying to Tauranga. Waitemata't," light-weight maidens gave the junior four a hard spin over the full course on Saturday. North Shore will not have a crew in the light maidens at Tauranga, Cade being unable to get under weight. All crews must remember that tb-j correct club colours must be worn at the regattas. Strokes of crews wi'i be well advised to know their correct positions on the course. An inspection of the courses before the races at the regattas will prove beneficial. Saves a lot of argument afterwards. The starting times of all races have already been published. The programme also gives them. Late arrivals will be disqualified. Any crew that has not been given a sfart'by the oSi.'ril starter and join-, in a race is liaVn tj a penalty. All crews should remember to continue rowing until the line has been crossed, and not stop when the judge's gun goes oif. ' Look to everything before going out to start. It's no use meeting with a breakdown just after a start, and complaining at the finish. Let each man see that all is well. The stroke should check over everything before the crew starts off. North Shore intend placing an eight - oar crew to meet Hamilton for the Someryille Shield on January 29.