ROVING SEASON

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 94, 29 November 1939, Page 8

ROVING SEASON

WEEK-END CONTESTS

ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS

Rowing in the face of an extremely strong north-easterly avlikl, the Whakatane Club prevailed over Tauranga by 3 to 2 in their contests at the week-end.

The adverse Aveather aifected the attendance, but those present witnessed good racing in spite of the conditions. Thanks are due to the local club for their consideration of the spectators in supplying them with refreshments. Under norma! conditions this would have been appreciated by the onlookers, but Avitli the cold Avind blowing straight on to the bank ih-2 afternoon tea Avas doubly welcome. It is not every sporting body that caters for spectators in this AA r ay. The first three races saw regatta crews rowing for Whakatane and tAvo of these crcAVS Avere successful. In the other contests the local creAV was easily held by Tauranga and this applied also to the last race. Season Opens. Carey, Taylor, Armstrong and R. Stewart, Avitli Cox Dines, represent! cd Whakatane in the Heavy Maidens Avhen they Avere matched against a Tauranga team comprising Dunlop Dane, Ware, Sylvester and Cox Bone. In this race Whakatane took the lead earh* and Avere neA'er headed, winning comfortably by tAvo lengths

The Light Maidens was contested in much the same manner and the local crew A. Head, F. Brown, W'. Stubbs, H. Thorburn, cox Moore, were easing up to defeat Tauranga McMaster, Thompson, Marshall, Tan ner, cox Stratford, by a similar margin. Though not designated as the chief event of the day, the Scratch Crews (Open), attracted more interest than the other races, senior men manning both shells. Norman, Taylor, Hayward, Wilson, cox Dines, represented Whakatane and Smith, Harvey, K. Hcke. Teasey cox Stratford, pulled for Tauranga. Throughout the race both crews stroked a 32 rate and at the halfway mark Tauranga were lengths in front and going the easier. As they passed the old wharf Tauranga had increased the lead to 214 lengths and the margin at the finish had been further increased, the local crew suffering defeat by 8 lengths.

This result was encouraging for the visitors, and Sylvester. Thompson, McMaster and Tanner, Cox Bone went down with the hope of equalising the score for Tauranga in the Youths class. They were opposed to Whakatane crew, Stubbs, Carey, Thorburn, Cox Moore. Though there was little between the crews over the first half of the course in this race, Whakatane pulled right awav over the later stages and registered a very easy victory. The last race, Light Crews (Open) Avas just as easy a win for Tauranga. In this event the crews were as follows: Whakatane, Head. D. Stewart, Dawson, Thom, Cox Ellis. Tauranga, Ware, Sylvester, Marshall, L. Sylvester, Cox Stratford. Presentation of Trophies. Mr C. Hay ward, in addressing the crews, said that it was to be regretted that the weather conditions Aver;; so bad. He thanked the Tauranga Club for their attendance and on behalf of the local club Avished them luck in future contests. Mrs Hay ward presented the trophies to the winning crews.

Mr S. J. Smith, Tauranga Club Captain, replied. He said that the Tauranga competitors had enjoyed the afternoon and hoped that the A r isit would be returned. In particular, he said, he Avould like to express his club's appreciation of the efforts made by the Whakatane ladies. The races were all over a course of approximately one mile and the judges in all events were Messrs Smith (Tauranga) and Hayward (Whakatane) .