ROWING

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25740, 28 February 1949, Page 8

ROWING

N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING AUCKLAND CREW WINS EIGHTS "The Press” Special Service CAMBRIDGE, February 27. The South Island won two of the five championship events when the fifty-third New Zealand championship rowing regatta was staged at Lake Karapiro yesterday. The Marlborough Rugby footballer, T. F. Hegglun, won the single sculls title by three lengths from a former champion, P. Abbott, of Petone. and the champion pairs title was retained in sensational circumstances by D. and H. Gould, of Avon. The first three crews to finish in the pairs, Blenheim, Petone, and Auckland, all finished outside the eastern finishing buoy, and were disqualified, and Avon, which had finished fourth, fairly close up, was adjudged the winners. Aramoho (Wanganui) won two of the other three events, the double sculls and fours, and the eights blue riband event of the regatta was won by the West End Club, Auckland, after a terrific battle over the final stages with the titleholder, Aramoho. It was the first in the West End’s 65-year-old history that a national championship success had been obtained. • Avon almost obtained a second success in the most exciting event of the day, the champion fours. It was beaten, by only a canvas by Aramoho, after the latter had made a tremendous bid for the title from 300 yards from home. Avon took the lead at the half-mile mark and at the mile led by a length from the former champions, Petone, with Waitemata a length further back, just ahead of Aramoho. As they raced toward the finish, Aramoho clapped on the pressure. Avon responded, and the two crews drove toward the line amid great excitement among the crowd. In the last 30 yards, Aramoho gained a slight lead, and in spite of the furious efforts of the Canterbury crew, held on to win. The Avon crewcomprised E. Lindstrom (stroke), G. Lindstrom (3), D. Gould (2), and H. Gould (bow). Although Hegglun sculled well enough to win in any case, his victory was made easier by the fact that the defending champion, J. Schneider (Aramoho) struck a buoy with his left scull and lost about seven lengths in going back around the' marker. The biggest crowd, 15,000, in the history of New Zealand championships attended the event, which was held in perfect conditions after a south-easterly wind which caused the postponement of the championship races had dropped about midday. Aramoho won £95, West End £9O, Tauranga £4B, and Avon and Petone £2B each. Results:— Junior Eights, one mile.—West End (W. Wrathall, D. Croot, C. Green, G. Alleby, K. Broadfoot, T. McQuillan. W. Grant, B. S. Wright) 1, Petone 2, Waitemata 3. Five starters. Won by two lengths; half a length. Time, 4min 53sec. Maiden Eights, one mile.—Tauranga (Paul O’Brien, Peter O’Brien, N. Smith, M. Ellis H. Iles, P. Harpham, B. Herbert, N. Iles) 1, Auckland 2, Ngaruawahia 3. Six starters. Won by a length; length. Time, smin llsec. Youths’ Eights, one mile.—Aramoho (J. Davidson, W. Home, D. Holmes, O. Weenick, B. Benfield, P. Anderson, C. Simmonson, A. Johnson) 1, Union, Wanganqi 2, Tauranga 3. Four starters. Won by a quarter of a .length; two lengths. Time, smin 35sec. Championship Single Sculls, one mile and a quarter.—T. Hegglun (Wairau) 1, P. Abbott (Petone) 2, R. J. McCarten (Petone) 3. Seven starters. Won by four lengths; half a length. Time, 7min 9sec. After a furlong the title-holder, J. Schneider, hit a buoy and lost 12 lengths. Hegglun opened up a break and never offered the others a chance. Championship Senior Fours, one mile and a quarter.—Aramoho (E. Johnston, J. O’Brien, W. James, W Carroll) 1, Avon 2, Petone 3. Also started: Napier, Waitemata, Auckland, and Port Chalmers. Won by a canvas; one length. Time, 6min 16sec. Light-weight Maiden Fours, one mile.— Tauranga (A. Stewart, E. Beston, J. Dockray, E. Kirk) 1, Gisborne 2, Hamilton 3. Nine starters. Won by three-quarters of a length; three lengths. Time, smin 50sec. Championship Doub'e Sculls, one mile and a quarter.—Aramoho (J. Schneider, D. Simmonson) 1, Petone 2, Union, Wanganui 3. Six starters. Won by two feet; two lengths. Time, 7min ssec. Junior Fours, one mile —Auckland (J. Fay, W. Hare, L. Bell, W. Hunter) 1, Petone 2, West End 3. Eleven starters. Won by two lengths; one length. Time, smin 54sec. Championship Senior Eights, one mile and a quarter.—West End (T. G. Engel, K. Ashby, W. Tinnock, M Ashby, D. Rowlands, G. Jarrett. B. Culpan, E. Smith) 1, Aramoho 2, Waitemata 3. Six starters. Won by three-quarters of a length; one length. Time, 6min 6sec. The youthful West End crew led all the way, but a quarter of a mile from home Aramoho drew almost level. West End held on and gradually got about a length ahead and finished better than the titleholders in the two previous seasons. Waitemata finished on for third and Avon was fourth. Youths’* Fours, one mile.—Union, Wanganui (I. Cresswell, B. Dunstone, B. Crawford, J. Wood) 1, Aramoho 2, Whakatane 3. Won by two lengths; two feet. Time, 6min 15sec. Championship Pairs, one mile and a quarter—Avon (D. Gould and H. Gould). Open Maiden Fours, one mile.—Tauranga (Paul O’Brien, Peter O’Brien, H. Iles, N. Iles) 1, Auckland 2, Mercer 3. Seventeen starters. Won by three-quar-ters of a length; one length and a naif. Time, smin 57sec. Consolation Senior Fours.—Napier (R. Dockary, K. Waites, H. Wall, C. Dockary) 1, Waitemata 2, Petone 3. Eight starters. Won by half a length; canvas. Time, 7min 20sec.