WITH THE OARSMEN

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 267, 10 November 1937, Page 23

WITH THE OARSMEN

FOURS IN FINE FORM.

AUCKLAND AND WAITEMATA.

REGATTA CHEWS TRAINING. i The splendid water conditions last Saturday enabled the oarsmen, at the eastern end of the )iai' r uir in particular, to indulge in a lot of useful practical work afloat. Two <-lulis. Waitemata and Auckland, staged trial four racing, while St. (Jeorgc's had practice crews afloat. With six crews boated in the first set of trial fours, the Auckland Club had a satisfactory entry and the winners were well concealed. The first heat, with crews stroked by Dickson. Smith and Mareeau, provided a race worth -mi!ijr a long way to Pee. The saane remark applies to the second heat, in which Kidd, Guin;ven and Si'inmonds were llie strokes. When the final was reached a survey of the two crews jiave the verdict in favour of Dickson, although many liked Simmonds' chances. It was anybody's race for over half the distance. Although Dickson then took a slight lea-d, Simmonds hung on, and it was not until halfway down the straight that the combination and experience at Dickson's four told and enabled the crew to forge ahead aixl win by a bare length. The rowing reached a higfi standard.

Tussle Between Harper and Brown. The Waitemata Boating Club again placed six crews in the trials for Mr. Huich Wright's trophies. The heats had provided close racing, but the two even-to were completely overshadowed in the final between A. Harper and O. Brown's crews. Tlhese fours raced on practically even te mis over the mile journey, and a yard Jiway from the finishing Jine it seemed that a dead-heat would result. The last stroke was put in first by Harper, his boat bounded forward, and the judge announced, "Harper first by one foot." Next Saturday four clubs will be engaged in trial racing. Waitemata lias fours for the commodore's (Mr. C. J. Ellerbeck) trophies; Auckland fours for the Schmidt trophies; Wci>t Knd a big programme with -the Peacock Shield and R. L. Stewart trophies, while St. George's , will get the first taste of racing in tlie annual fours for the Rowsell Cup. High tide next "Saturday is at 2.17 p.m.

Hail and Farewell to " Rus " Cooper. Auckland rowing, and the West End Club in particular, hae lost by -the death last i riday of Mr. Russell Hey wood Cooper one of its most loyal supporters. It W'as in 1013 that "Rus" (to use the sobriquet liy which :he was so popularly known) joined West Kud, and for ten years he remained on the list. »lay ing his part both as an oarsman and

Administrator. He hold at times the office of treasurer, deputy-captain of the club and delegate to the Auckland .Rowing Association. His efforts in maintaining the clulj during the difficult years of the war will always lie remembered. He was a success!ul regatta oarsman, being a member of \\ . D'Audney s winning light maiden four in the 11M5-W5 scanon. Mr. Cooper was elected a vice-president when his rowing il;i\ s were over and up to the time of his death had maintained the keenest interest in the club's affairs. Evei season he donated the "Cooper Caps, always keenly contested in the club's trial racing. Only Way Out of Difficulty. The allocation of the New Zealand c{iampioi!filiips and interprovincial eightoar championship* regatta to the WangaDiii Association aroused a ceitain amount of comment by some southern clul>s. Since they have had time to reflect it ie acknowledged that tlie Dominion Association chose the only way out of a difficulty. Although Easter may seem late for the championship*, the \\ anganmi claims wore reasonable, in view of the New Zealand crew s prior visit to the Empire Games. At the annual meeting of the Now Zealand Rowing AsMociation the Otago remits —save one—were withdrawn. This referred to the rough water conditions in the chainpjonships. and resulted in the following words beinc added to the present rule: "Who shall confer with the strokes of the competing crews."

Items of General Interest. Mr. A. I). Bayfield, who has been secretary of the N.Z.A.R-A. for the past 31 years, was on the proposal of Mr. A. C. Norden (Auckland), seconded by Mr. A. M. Hale (Marlborough), elected a life member of the association as a tribute to the services he has so ablv rendered. The jubilee dinner of the New Zealand Rowing Association was held in the Grand Hotel. Air. A. G. Menzies presiding. The representative nature of the attendance gave an indication of the part oarsmen play in the public and business life of the Dominion. The keen interest the members of the Jubilee Club take in rowing was plainly shown at the dinner. It was in 19.13 that the proposal of the sports committee of the Auckland Blind Social Club to take up rowing met with the approval of the lniard of trustees of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind- The task of approaching the clubs was left to Mr. D. McPhee, and his pioneering work laid the foundations solidly. The first erew was taken under the control of the Waitemata Club in 1933, and a little later that year a second crew was linked up with Auckland. In 1934 a third crew was joined up with St. George's. This led to the board of trustees buildinc a boathouse on a site generously donated by the Auckland Harbour Board, and on December 14. 1935, the .Tubilee Rowing Club was formed, and the new boathouse opened by Mr. H. B. Burnett. Since then the maroon and blue colours of the club have been regularly afloat. The club's first appearance in public was at the provincial championships in 1936, when two crews met in a four-oar race. Last season a series of races was held. The club i« having built two new pair-oar boats for this season, and it is the intention to row trial races, a trophv to be given for the highest points gained.