Rowing

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11, 13 January 1945, Page 2 (Supplement)

Rowing

J i WAITEMATA CLUB ; Mason Cup Fours: R. B. Smith . J Strokes Winning Crew I The Waitemata Boating Club rowed the " ; annual set of trial fours this afternoon for • the Mason Cup, and five crews took part - in the racing. Following the policy adopted , during the war seasons, the Waitemata , Club's officers invited the Auckland Club s members to take part, and the four who s availed themselves had an enjovable after- - noon's racing. One was R. B. Smith, I present holder of the New Zealand single j sculls championship, who recently re- - turned on furlough from the Middle East, • and he signalled his return to the sport by stroking the winning crew. The stroke of the second boat was A. Osborne, who I recently returned from overseas service j with the Air Force in varous theatres of war. There was the largest attendance of enthusiasts this season, and a really good I afternoon's racing was witnessed. The Tamaki Drive course produced splendid j> water conditions, and by starting out by I the boat harbour piles a straight course 3 was gained. This w;as a big improvement, j as it did away with the bend and tide 0 rip met when the races were started close 5 in by the boatsheds. Starting was by • mutual consent, and Mr. D. Hadfield acted 5 as judge. 4 i The first heat resulted:— 9 R. B. Smith, B. O'Connor, V. Hadfield, 1 R. Pedlar 1 L. Hawkins, J. Guiniven, T. Nixon, L. ' i Morris ■ 2 C. Cairns, D. Kennedy, N. Finnegan, I D. Menzies •. .". 3 ) ' Won by three-quarters of a length. ! ! Cairns moved fastest at the start, but i was soon displaced by Smith. Off the first I ' gap Smith increased his lead, and Haw- ; kins, coming along fast, displaced Cairns for second place. As the straight was entered Hawkins challenged, and, although I closing on the leader, Smith held on to ' win by three-quarters of a length. Cairns i was two lengths away, third, i ' Second heat:— 0 A. Osborne, M. Alison, C. Richards, N. 5 Meltzer 1 \ L. Wallace, A. Nixon, D. Turnbull, L. j . Kelly 2 1 Won by a length and a half. - i Osborne jumped the lead from the start 3 and, bringing his crew along with a nice i steady stroke, won comfortably by a j length and a half. Final I The crews of Smith and Osborne met in the final, but from the start Smith took the lead and, drawing away, won 3 comfortably by two lengths. D The winners were:—R. B. Smith (str), 3 B. O'Connor (3), V. Hadfield (2), R. Ped- ? lar (bow), A. Nixon (cox). i ] HAMILTON REGATTA l ! There now seems every likelihood of l the Auckland clubs being well repre- : sented at the Hamilton regatta, to be held 7 on January 27. The crews are all in - training and shaping well.