AQUATICS.

Press, Volume XIV, Issue 1863, 5 April 1869, Page 3

AQUATICS.

On Saturday afternoon last the third scratch pair match of the Canterbury Rowing Hub took place on the River Avon, the course being the same as on former occasions, viz., from opposite Mr Maskew's residence to the gtenmore bridge. It was considerably past the appointed time before Mr Herdson, the captain of the club, could get the preliminaries arranged, owing, we understand, entirely to the late hour at which some of the working members of the club put in an appearance. This want of punctuality was somewhat an* noyiog to persons who had come to witness the race. Ihe first race was a handicap match between Masters James Callender and Henry Pearce, the two coxswains of the club, the former giving the latter twenty-five yards start io a distance of half a mile, the prize being an engraved cup presented by tbe members of the club. Pearce, the younger of the two competitors, was allowed the lightest boat, viz. the Nameless, and also the start above referred to, Callender rowing in the Cygnet. Mr Herdson soon got them away, and although Pearce rowed well and pluckily during the first quarter of a mile, Callender had collared him before reaching Cowlishaw'e corner, the latter rowing the distance in four minutes fifteen seconds, and winning by precisely a minute. The competitors in the scratch pair-oared race then proceeded to man their boats. Eight members entered, the president (Mr Harman) acting as starter. The following is the result of the respective heats :—

PIEBT HEAT.

1, Cygnet (North Bank)—l, W.H. Churton j 2, E. J. Dudley ; J. Callender, cox. 2. Swan (South Bank)—l, G. Stead; 2, R. Foster j H Pearce, cox.

The Swan was the favourite for this heat— hsr crew possessing the principal element in rowing, viz, strength, and were also known to be first-class oarsmen —this was proved by the fact of her getting round Cowlishaw's corner first, although having the disadvantage ef the wrong side of she river at starting. She had a good lead from the corner up, and apparently slackened speed purposely, but were too late in putting on the spurt. The Cygnet had crawled up to her, and a neck and neck race took place to the winning post; Messrs Churton and Dudley winning by not more than ten feet.

SECOND HEAT.

1. Swan (North Bank)—l, C. A. Nalder; 2, J. H. Herdson j H. Pearce, cox. 2. Cygnet (South Bank)—l, T. Douglas j2, T. Grierson •, Jas. Callender, cox. ; The Swan jumped away with the lead,-* which she kept all the way, the men apparently not distressing themrelves after rounding the comer at Mr Cowlishaw's. "FINAL HEAT. Messrs Nalder and Herdson. had now to row again, without any intermission, except the time which they took to paddle their boat gently down stream. to the starting point, their competitors being Messrs Churton and Dudley, the winners in the first heat. The last named gentlemen won the choice of places (t.s. the north bank). A splendid start was effected, the boats jumping away simultaneously. At Cowlishaw's corner the Swan had the lead by about a length, and from there to the bridge ensued one of the best and most exoiting races we have ever witnessed on oar river. Both boats kept abreast or nearly so all the way up, one moment the Swan forging ahead, only to be collared however by her opponent; and it was when close up to the bridge that the Cygnet managed to orawl winning by barely a quarter of a length. Tbe afternoon's amusement was brought to a close by the winners of the scratch match oa the previous occasion having their pewters handed to them by the treasurer, Mr W. H. C&urton.