ROWING IN CANADA.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10238, 6 January 1899, Page 6

ROWING IN CANADA.

Br R. k. Baurkkr, in the "Canadian Magazine. The rowing season of 1898 has been a most successful one in Canada, and our representatives have proved themselves capable of retaining nearly every Canadian Championship in their own clubs, aud, in addition, of winning at least two American Championships from their cousins in the United States.

. . . . Year by year the art of- amateur rowing is becoming more pooular among the young men of Canada, and at the recent regatta of the Canadian Association of Amateur Oarsmen, held at Toronto on August Bth and 9th last, the number of competitors and of clubs represented was far greater, and the quality better, than at any other similar regatta held in America for a number of years past. There is, in the field of amateur sports, none that requires more hard work, constant practice, and careful training, than that of rowing. Those who adopt that particular branch of athletics, alone realise what is necessaiy to be done in order to attain that degree of proficiency required to enable them to compete successfully in the various open regattas in Canada and sometimes in the United States. Early in the spring, almost as soon as the waters are cleared of ice, activity commences in and around the rowing clubs, and by May representative crews are generally in training for the season's.-racing. From that time on throughout the summer those lucky enoueh to be chosen to represent their club are required daily to get out with their crew, generally both in early morning, and in the afternoon, and to systematically train to fit themselves for one or several of the year's championships. The representative oarsman, therefore, has very little holiday, and during the long summer season has to remain at home and be daily at his work. The careful training, however, of our Canadian scullers and oarsmen has had effect, and to-day they are more than able to hold their own with those of any other country. Although professional rowing has practically declined since the once famous "Ned" Hanlan showed the stern of his boat to the scullers parts of the world, yet amateur rowing has steadily become more popular.

The first open regatta that commands the attention of oarsmen in the central part of Canada is that held annually on Dominion Day on Toronto Bay under the auspices of a committee of citizens and the local clubs. Later in the year, generally early in August, the Canadian Association of Amateur Oarsmen holds its annual championship meet at some place, usually in Ontario, which meets with the approval of the Association on account of the course available and the financial guaranteed support offered. In addition to these regattas there are other fields offered for the prowess of our ' representatives, principal among which are the regattas of the National Association and the North-Western Association. The former decides the championships of the United States, and has always had for a number of years past one or more entries from Canadian clubs. In recent years the National championship in fours has often been won by Canadians, the Toronto Rowing Club, the Argonaut Rowing Club of Toronto, and the Winnipeg Rowing Club, all having on one or more occasions captured the coveted trophy from their American rivals. Two of these victorious Canadian crews, the Argonauts and the Winnipeggers, have competed at Henley, against the best that Great Britain could produce, and although not victorious, they showed themselves to be the toughest material in the world to beat; the Argonauts in their last visit to Henley in 1895 being defeated by the champions of England by the narrow margin of two feet. Undoubtedly the season's rowing which lias just closed has demonstrated the supremacy ox the big Areonaut four, consisting of Jos. Wright (stroke), F. H. Thompson (No. ft), E. A. Thompson (No. 2), and Rupert Munz (bow), over all the crews that the United States or Canada could produce, and equally prominent with them as a champion of champions is young Edward Hanlan Ten Evck, of Worcester, Mass. Both in the United States and Canada, at the National Regatta at Philadelphia in July last, at the Canadian Regatta at Toronto in August, and at- the Nctth-Westem Regatta held this year at the same place, as well as at numerous other regattas of lesser import, have the Argonauts and Ten Eyck, in their respective races, shown the way by a good margin to all other competitors. Young Ten Jbyck stands in a class by himself as an amateur sculler, and on three important occasions, at Philadelphia and Toronto, was in front of young Goldman, of the Argonauts, these two finishing first and second over their other rivals in the same order whenever they met. The honours, however, which this year f ell ;to the Argonaut's "Big Four" have never been equalled in America. . . .

Since the last big four-oared race of the year, when the Argonauts won at Winnipeg, late in August, the suggestion has once more been made that aj Canadian crew should again try conclusions with England's cracks at Henley next year; and while the Argonauts were at Winnipeg tne unselfish and generous nature of Canadians was demonstrated by the maimer in which the victors were urged to enter at Henley, and by the promised subscriptions to the Argonaut* Club to assist in the undertaking. A movement is now on foot to send not only the "four" but the "eight" of the Argonauts across the Atlantic next June, and, should such an event take place as a Canadian eight competing for the "Grand Challenge" at Henley, it win undoubtedly take the best crew in Great Britain to-retain the coveted prize. University crews of the United States have twice, in recent years, competed unsuccessfully at Henley in the eights, but these crews have neither the experience, strength, nor weight that at present make up the big Canadian crew, nor are they properly to be compared at any time with such eights as that of the Pennsylvania Barge Club and the Argonauts, champions of the United States and Canada respectively.