ROWING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 85, 11 April 1933, Page 16

ROWING.

ALMOST COMPLETED.

CLUBS' TRIAL RACING.

INTER-'VAK.SITY CONTEST*

The official closing ceremony of tlie Auckland Rowing Club's season was the principal event in local rowing circles last Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately weather conditions' upset many arrangements. The "weather was. fine, but the King's Drive is not a pleasant place with the wind in from the north-east. Consequently the attendance of friends and supporters was not the usual for such an occasion. Rough water conditions also prevented the' trial four racing for trophies donated by Mr. G. Hogan, president. With a welcome to the club by , the president a pleasant afternoon was spent. Many old friendships were renewed, and the record achieved by the club this season has given the veterans much to talk about. The trial ,fours will probably be rowed during the coming week-end. •The Waitemata Boating Club also had arrangements upset owing to the rough | conditions on both the Tamaki Drive course and the stretch of water from the King's Drive to the eastern reclamation. It -was intended to finalise the season's racing.. with ~a, set of .upside-down trial fours, ' The' West End Rowing Club was more fortunate on , the course inside the boat harbour, and completed under boisterous arid 'the' worst water conditions of the season two sets of single sculls handicap '(rials. In all 14 races were decided and the officials kept the competitors well on .the, move to get such a big programme completed. ' - " !i| •The Conway brothers, Milty _(3s) and Floyd (Is),' fought out the final for the Robert Laidlaw Cup. It was a great go air the way,' M. Conway winning .by about half a length. The Bigelow-Farrell single gciills found J. Jones (ss) and M. Gr. McLisky (4s) deciding the final. Jones proved full of going and won by one and i a'half lengths. The racing completed' the West End Club's programme for the season,- and in finishing before Easter the officers have every reason to be well satisfied. The' Auckland University eight, following .< the lead given when the_ Auckland mterprovmcial eight "was in training, went into camp, at Bay during the week-end to complete its work for the inter-'Varsity race at the Easter tournament next Saturday. The .crew can be regarded -a -big - improvement upon prei vious that have represented 'the' Auckland University. The inclusion of J. McComish, of the Auckland Club's champion senior fours, and F. G. Bowling, of " the ' Auckland interprovincial eight, strengthens the: crew considerably. The race is attracting a lot of attention, and local enthusiasts consider tlie crew's chances are very bright. A win is long overdue. The complimentary smoke concert tendered the Auckland Club's champion senior four crew proved a success in every way, and in ..particular gave an illustration of the friendly relationship existing between the Auckland provincial clubs. Some of the Auckland Club's veterans were keen regatta oarsmen 30 years ago, and although their ambitions were to gain championship honours, it- has been' a long wait before i the distinction has come to the cljib. The spell was broken 25 years ago, when their neighbours, the Waitemata Boating Club, gained the championship fours.. It. was mosf pleasing on Saturday' to see two members, F. Herring aid B. Andrews, stroke and bow respectively of that crew, present at the smoke concert. During the week-end two .veterans of the Wanganui Rowing Club, J. Quin and F. M. Spurdle, had a surprise meeting, and it was not long before they centre of interest in relating the rowing, history of the river township.