ROWING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 302, 21 December 1937, Page 21

ROWING.

FINAL CLUB TRIALS. TAURANGA REGATTA. NEW YEAR PROGRAMME. Under perfect water and weather conditions this year's trial racing programmes of the Auckland, Waitemata and St. George's Clubs were brought to a conclusion last Saturday afternoon. The racing in the various heats produced some strenuous and exciting contests, but the finals in each case did not come up to expectations. The victors had wins by a comfortable margin and in this respect were the least interesting finals to date this season.

With the selection of the Auckland Club's fours, it was surprising to hear the several crews announced as the prospective winners. Two did qualify for the final and Marceau's. cr«W that did not claim tuany admirers . completely upset, calculations by easy yins in both heat and final. Simmonds' four rowed a good race in the heat, but could do no better than third place in the final, four lengths and a halt behind the winner. The racing to date has produced a good rowing standard and the regatta men should have benefited by their racing. Waitemata had six crews afloat and, like their neighbours, had close contests in the heats. Cairns had matters all his own way in the final and. leading throughout. won by a length and a half. St. George's placed four crews and it was in the second heat, when Carr beat Coote by half a length, that the best race was seen. This event told in the final when. Ryan, who won the first heat, accounted for Carr with two lengths to spare. . , West End's attentions were turned to regatta training, while some of North Shore members assisted the Auckland Ladies' Club with its opening At Home. This club is now housed at the Tarnaki Yacht Club's boathouse and although a long wav from town the travelling facilities should enable the members to enjoy nlentv of rowing. Saturday s function was most successful and with an increase in membership the club should make progress. . , . During the holiday season in the next fortnight there will be very little activity at the various harbour clubs boathouse#. The New Year programmes will be started about the second week in January and with four regattas and ever\ available week-end for club contests oarsmen are in for a busy time until next March. _ Tauranga Regatta. The first provincial test for the regatta crews will be at the Tauranga regatta next Monday. The entries upon tins occasion are somewhat disappointing. Jn the light maiden fours there are eight crews, six in the heavy maidens and seven in the junior fours. The maiden double sculls drew six entries, but the senior fours and single sculls with three entries each are distinctly disappointing. This also applies to the maiden eights, with two crews. There are several reasons that can be advanced for the small entries, but the principal one is considered the difficulty oarsmen have of securing accommodation. In this J'' 1 " 60 " tion —even allowing for it being right at the height of the holiday season—it is contended that more assistance should be received from the regatta officials. Club Losses. Both the Auckland and Waitemata Clubs will suffer losses in regatta crews when R. B. Smith (Auckland) and O. Denison (Waitemata) are away with the Dominion crews at the Empire Games. Their places will be hard to fill for both the Hamilton and Mercer regattas Early next year the Auckland Rowing Association intends holding a big moonlight excursion on the harbour. The success that attended such an excursion several seasons ago is still fresh in all memories, and with the suggestions already advanced and the interest aroused the outing should prove up to the officials expectations. . At a recent meeting of the Auckland Rowing Association, Mr. A. C. Norden, who as an Auckland delegate attended the fiftieth meeting of the New Zealand Rowing Association, gave a resume of the business transacted and cleared several doubtful points. , , R. Stacey. the Club captain, who has been in Wellington for several years, recently returned to Auckland and will rejoin the old club.