AQUATICS.

Press, Volume XIV, Issue 1852, 22 March 1869, Page 2

AQUATICS.

The rowing matches which took place on the Avon on Saturday afternoon were exceedingly interesting. Sonn after three o'clock the members of the Railway Rowing Club and the Canterbury Rowing Club, the colors of each floating from the flag poles at their eheds were to be seen busily engaged launching their boats, and manning them with all despatch. The first event was the scratch four-oars of the C.R.C., the boats competing in the race being, the outriggers Isis and Avon. Much interest was taken in this affair, it being considered almost a certainty that a capsize would be the order of things, in consequence of scratch crews having to row in these orank boats. Mr Stead was chosen etarter and Mr Revans umpire. The distance wae from Riverleigh to the Stanmore Bridge, about three quarters of a mile. The boats made a beautiful start, the Avon slightly to the front, bufc the leia bore down upon her, and the crews then agreed to start afresh. A second start was soon effected, the Isis got the lead in the first half-dozen strokes which she maintained and gradually increased, coming in a winner by fully forty yards. The crews were ac follows :— Ist. Isis (north bank). 1, C. A. Nalder; 2, N. Macfarlane; 3, B. J. Dudley j stroke, Rev E. A. Lingard j H. Pearce, cox. 2nd. Avon (south bank). 1, W. H. Churton ; 2, A. Blakiston ; 3, R. Foster j stroke, J. H. Hurdson ; J. Callender, jun., cox. The R.R.C.'s match between the light and heavy weights came off next, the former rowing in the Lurline, and the latter in the new boat built by Fuller, of Melbourne, and recently named the Syren. The " boys," however, came in the winners, beating the 13 stone men by fully 100 yards. The course was from Wright's corner to the Willows. Ist. Lurline. 1, Pratt; 2, Davis ; 3, Ware; Fooks, stroke; McCardell, jun., cox. 2nd. Syren. 1, Pavitt; 2, Rutherford ; 3, Gilchriet j Jameson, stroke; McCardell, cox. ! Immediately afterwards the crew of the Syren changed into the Lurline and won a match against a new crew, who rowed the Syren by about 50 yards. The Canterbury Rowing Clubs' scratch pairs closed the afternoon's programme, and these races caused much excitement and amusement—the friends of the competing crews accompanying the boats in each heat along the river bank, and endeavouring to urge them, to increased efforts by such means as loud calls to " put it on, bow !" " pull it through, stroke!" and many other admonitioae better known to boating men than to ourselves. The Rev E. A. Lingard acted as etarter and also umpire in this match. The following account of the different heats may not be uninteresting to some of our readers : — FIRST HEAT. Ist. Cygnet (north bank); 1, Nalder j 2, Macfarlane j Pearce, cox. 2nd. Swan (south bank). 1, Foster j2, Churton ; Callender, jun, cox. This, and of course the following heats, were all rowed from opposite Mr Maakew's residence to the Stanmore road bridge, it being decided that all danger of boats fouling at the bridge should if possible be avoided. It "was a well contested race, but the Cygnet having the best side of the river, came in a winner by a few lengths. SECOND HEAT. let. Cygnet (south bank). 1, Herd son ; 2, Stead; Pearce, cox. 2nd. Swan (north bank). 1, Stedman; 2, Dudley ; Callender, jun., cox. A foul occurred immediately after starting, caused by the boats getting away when too close to the north side of the river. A splendid start was then made, the Cygnet gradually drawing ahead until, getting a couple of boats lengths in advance near Cowliehaw'e corner; she crossed the Swan's bows and rounled the point in fine style ; from there to the winning post her crew seemed to be rowing comparatively without much effort, and won easily. , THIRD AND TINAL HEAT, ! The winning crew in the last heat had now to contest for the prize (engraved pewters), with Messrs Nalder and Macfarlano, who came in winners in the first heat. A splendid race took place to Cowlishaw's corner, each crew striving to their utmost to get round the point first. Mesera Herdson and Stead however proved too much for their opponents, and came in the winnera by some lengths. We may mention that Messrs Murray and Dudley, the winners of the erratch pairs on last Saturday week, had their cups presented to them during the afternoon. We are also informed that, probably next Saturday, a sculling match for an engraved pewter will be rowed for, by the young coxswains of the C.R.C. Masters Callender and Pearce.