ROWING.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18635, 9 March 1926, Page 10

ROWING.

CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA. OTAGO WINS THE FOURS. (PRESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, March 8. Long before most of Dunedin people were astir this morning young, muscular, and active men from all pans of New Zealand were out on Otago Harbour to participate in the Dominion Amateur Rowing Championships, beiucr held in Dunedin for the first tinuTfor 26 years. The wate r on Saturday afternoon, for which time the rcatta was used, was so unfuft-our-Me that only two events, and those no t championship events were got off It was decided to hold the remainder of the events at 6 o'clock this morning, and rowing enthusiasts were delighted on "awakening to fand a fine morning with an absence of the northerly breezes that make Otago Harbour almost impossible for rowing in skiffs. A start was made at 7 o'clock, and by 10.30 the eight remaining races had been decided. For the first four events the water was calm. After that a slight breeze raised a "jobble" on the water, but not enough to cause a postponement, and before the end was reached conditions were again favourable the wind having dropped considerably. More favourable conditions for rowing on a harbour course could not have been obtained anywhere in New Zealand. , The big event of the morning was the championship fours, to which great interest attached because of last year's champions, the Hamilton crew that was successful last year in not only winning the New Zealand championship, but also in defeating all the "cracks" in Australia on the occasion of their visit there. To the delight of local enthusiasts the Hamilton crew was beaten by the Otago Club's crew. In the single sculling championship, too, last year's holder of the title (G. W. St. Clair, of Hamilton, who won in Australia), was defeated by W. A. Stevenson, of Waitemata Club, who held the championship in 1922-23 and 1924-25. No local men competed in'this event. W. Stevenson and D. Smith, of Waitemata Club, successfully defended their title in the championship double sculls, which they won from G. W. St. Clair and C. D". Molesworth, of Hamilton, who held the title in 1922-23 and 1923-24: The exhibition of _ sculling given by Stevenson and Smith was magnificent, and in the opinion of many competent to judge, was the best seen for many, years at a championship regatta. Hamilton put up a great performance in the ■- championship pair-oar event by winning both first and second places, G. St. Clair .and W. Bayley beating their ■ club-mates, R. Sandos and S. L. Curtis. In this event the Union Rowing Club, Christchurch,! represented by W. L. Whittington and L. Duggan,' was unfortunate. Not far from the winning post, when they looked certain to gain second place, they fouled a buoy. , Even at 7 o'clock there were many people on the wharves .to watch the racing, and a few hours later there were several hundreds of people present. , - The races were got off without loss of time; while one event -was in progress the entrants, for the next were on the way to the starting post. In fact, to get off eight*, races in the time in which it was done was a performance upon which the Otago Rowing Association is deserving of congratulation.

The racing was interesting, and prosome close finishes, which stirred the crowd to some enthusiasm. Following are the results:— CHAMPION FOURS; two miles, test ana beat boats; first £BO, second JE2O. Otago Rowing Club, F. Brbugh (stroke), . J. Werges (3), C. J. MoAra (2), P. S. Anderson (bow), R. Hook (cox) .. 1 Hamilton Rowing Club, R. Sandos stroke), T W Bayley .(3), G. St. Clair (2),- S. L. Curtis (bow), P. Stewart (cox.) ... 2 Wairau Rowing Club, W. E. * Gibbons £ ro *°>> c - Saunders (3), C. J. Adams (2), R. A. Badnian (bow), W. Jacobs (cox.) .. ... 3 Also started: Waitemata Boating Club," T. Johnston (stroke), L.' E. Brooker (3), N. Doubleday (2) V. Smith (bow); Invercargill ?,? l a V\^, 80n (Btroke) ' J- Beckingham (3) N. Galbraith (2), T. Davidson (bow); Petone Rowing Club, A. E. White (stroke), A. I. Warden (3), A. Hickson (2), K. Rodger (bow), T. Cairns (cox.). At 7 o'clock, on a running tide, the Champion Fours were sent away by the starter (Mr E. V. Fairbairn). Hamilton, Wairau, and Otago got the best ttart, Hamilton doing 33 to the minute against Otago s 32. Otago went to the front, though at this- stage they were not rowing very steadily. At the mile post Otago still held the lead, Wairau being second and Hamilton third. Hamilton quickened up and passed Wairau, but could not catch Otago. At the mile and a half Otago and Wairau were in front, Otago with a slight lead. Nearing the basin the order was: • Otago, Hamilton, Wairau, and Waitemata, and that order was maintained till the finish. Hamilton threatened Otago towards the end, but the local men had'plenty of pace in reserve, and pulled up to increase their lead from one length to two, by. which they won, with Wairau half a length behind.. Hamilton were third, Waitemata being fourth, and Invercargill Railway fifth. Time, 12min 13seo. CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLE SCUIjLS, lh ■ • miles; best and best boats. W. A. Stevenson (Waitemata) .. .. 1 W. St. Clair (Hamilton) ~ ..2 E. 0. Trail (Wanganui) .. .. . 3 Also started: C. D. Molesworth (Hamilton) and N. Cruickshank (Timaru). Time, Omin d9sec. CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLE SCULLS, lj miles; best and best boats. Waitemata Boating Club (W. A. Stevenson stroke, D. Smith bow) ..1 Hamilton Rowing Club (I. W. St. Clair stroke, C. D. Molesworth bow) ... 2 Union Boating Club (Wanganui) (E. 0. Trail stroke, C. Kruse bow) ..3 Also started: Queen's Drive , (F. Wilson stroke, W. Pritchard bow), Union Rowing Club (Christchurch) W. L: Whittington stroke, L. Duggan bow). Hamilton and Waitemata went to the front from a, good start, the others being about five lengths behind, and keeping practically level. At the mile post Waitemata were in front by several lengths, their sculling being good to watch. Their movement and timing were like clockwork and provided a great exhibition of sculling. Getting near the basin, .Waitemata and Hamilton drew far ahead of the other crews, and Waitemata crossed the line three lengths ahead of Hamilton. Union (Wanganui) were third, ten lengths behind. Christchurch Union were fourth and Queen's Drive fifth. Time, 9min 33 4-Ssec. CHAMPIONSHIP PAIR OAR, one mile and a half, best and best boat. Hamilton Rowing Club No. 2, G. St. Clair (stroke), W. Bayly (bow) .. 1 Hamilton Rowing Club No. 1, B. Sandos (stroke), S. L. Curtis (bow) .. 2 Petone Rowing Club, A. Hickson (stroke),' A. L. Warden (bow) .. ..3 Also started: Union Rowing Club (Christchurch), W. L. Whittington (stroke), L. Duggan (bow); Waitemata Boating Club, T. Johnson (str), V. Smith- (bow); Otago Rowing Club, F. Broiigh (str), J. Werges (bow); Wairau Rowing Club, W. E. Gibbons (str), R. A. Badman (bow); and Queen's Drive, F. Wilson (str), W. Pritchard (bow). This wa3 one of the best races of the morning, but it was rather spoiled by the faulty steering of many of the crews. Union showed out prominently after, but their course and also that of the Hamilton No. 1 crew was badly interrupted by very erratio steering by Petone. Maiden Double Sculls, one mile—Queen'3 Drive Boating Club, G. Clark (str), N. Monson (bow), 1; Avon Rowing Club (Christchurch), E. Heatley (str), J. Brixton (bow), and Canterbury Sowing Club, R. F. Batchelor (str), D. Gunn (bow) equal 2. Also started—Timaru Rowing Club, R. Chute (str), W. Davies (bow); North End Boating Club, A. Davidson (str), H. Eggers (bow). 1 Time, 7min Maiden Foure-Oar, one mile—Avon Rowing Club (Christchurch), W. Palmer (str), G. Litten (3), W. Scott* (2). R. Lyons (bow), 1; Awarua Boating Club (Bluff), H. Tall (stroke). E. Spencer (3), H. Obergaard (2), W. Burtenshaw - (bow), 2; Port Chalmers Bowing Club, A. Crammond

(stroke), H. Parsons (3), J. Solomon (2), J. Biennan (tow), 3. Also started; North End, A. Clark (stroke!, J. Mitchell (3), E. Manson (2), J. Allen (bow); Timaru Bowing Club. R. Chute (stroke), W. Davi-s (3). E. Harrison (2), W. Leeney (bow); Otago Bowing Club, J. Macki e (stroke), E. G. Cooper (3), TV'. Bevcridge (2), C. Semple (bow). Time, 6min 40scc. Junior Fours, one mile and a half—lnvercargill Railway Rowing Club, D. Pay (stroke), J. E. Pay (3), H. MacKay (2), D. McKenzie (bow), 1; Queen's Drive Boating Club, G. Clark (stroke). N. Monson (3), L. Fountain (2), P. Herrum (bow), 2; Aramoho Boating Club (Wanganui), D. Mills (stroke), T. Kennedy (3), K. Coxon (2), A. Froruont (bow), G. Pepper (cox.), 3. . Also started; Pctone, A. E. Jones (stroke), A. Maud (3), T. S. . Slinn (2), R. G. Duncan (bow); Avon, B. Bark'.e (stroke), W. Scott (3), Vt. Palmer (2), P. Brettell (bow): North End No. 2, G. Duncan (stroke), H. McKenzie (3), E. Cross (2), B. Eddy (bow); Awarua, H. Tall (stroke), E. Spencer (3), H. Obergaard (2), W. Burtenshaw (bow) ; North End No. 1, D. Sutherland (stroke), H. Eggers (3), A. Davidson (2), M. Spence (bow). Time, 9min 25sec. Youths' one mile—Awarua Boating Club, A. Morrison (stroke), E. Mclntyre (3), G. Barton (2), C. Hunter (bow), 1; Queen s Drive Boating Club, J. Braithwaite (stroke), T. Treloar (3), J. Swan (2), G. Thorn (bow) 2; Avon Rowing Club, A. Harley (stroke). E. Heatley (3), J. Lane (2), G. Thorn (bow) 3. Only starters. Time, Smin 9sec. Junior Pair Oar, one mile—lnvercargilJ Railway Rowing Club, H. Mackay (stroke) 1, J E Pay (bow), 1; North End Boating Club, E. Cross (stroke), H. McKenzie (bow) 2. Exhibition Fours, one mile and a half, in Association Clinker Boats. First prize £2O, second £s—Waitemata, T. Johnson (stroke), h. E. Brooker (3), \V. Doubleday (2) V. Smith (bow), 1: Aramoho, D. Mills (stroke), T. Kennedy (3), R. Coxon (2), A. Froniong (bow), G. Pepper (cox), 2;-Wairau, W. E. Gibbons (stroke), G. Saunders (3), 0. J. Adams (2), R. A. Badman (bow) 3. Also started: Timaru, E. Cruickshank (stroke), W. Davies (3), R. Chute (2), W. Leeney (bow); Avon, 0. Stiles (stroke), G. Stiles (3), E. Barkle (2), T. Brettell (bow); Queen's Drive, G. Clark (stroke), N. Monson (3), L. Fountain (2), P. Herum (bow); InvercargiU Railway; W. Wilson (stroke). J. Buckingham (3), D. Pay (2), J. E. Pay (bow). Time, 9min 27 l-ssec.