ROWING

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26604, 14 December 1951, Page 8

ROWING

WANGANUI BEATS CHRIST’S COLLEGE Wanganui Collegiate School beat Christ’s College by a narrow margin in the annual rowing race between the two schools over a cource of one mile at Kerr's Reach last evening. There was little to choose between the two crews for most of the race, but the heavier Wanganui eight lasted better and finished half a length in front. • The conditions for the race were almost ideal. There was little wind, and though a heavy shower of rain fell just as the crews took the water, none fell diirlwS the race. The crews had some help from the incoming tide, but the time can -be considered fast for a schoolboys* race. The mile was rowed in smln a time which compares quite favourably with the times recorded by some of the fastest crews in New Zealand at the Centennial regatta. The Wanganui crew had a slightly better start, on the eastern bank of the river and got the benefit of the inside running through the first bend, establishing a lead • of half a length. College began the race stroking about 35 to the minute, compared with Wanganui’s 36. When the borts swung into the next bend, both were rowing about the same rate. Coming out of the second bend, Christa College had the inside running, and established a canvas lead. It was not long before Wanganui had closed the gap mln, however, and the crews took turns at holding the lead until the outlet of the old course of the river had been passed. Wanganui apparently took this astheir signal to make a final sprint, and forsea ahead by about half a length. As the ooats crossed the line, Wanganui still held' its half-length advantage, but College was stroking 36 to Wanganui's 34. It appeared that College would have rowed a closer race if a more determined final sprint had been made. The crews were.—Wanganui: P E Lyons (stroke) J. Bull, J. M. Hunter M W. Itwin. F W Baku, M. A. McKay. O Hine‘*cox)’. R ' F ' Mark ,bow ’’ *- M Cl K iSt^°rS Be H J P E - S C K k a"‘ d f grave. J, R. Dunlop. T. J. Trolove H H fen»; d s y '(e B oxX‘ Ckery (b ° W) ' “ d i: *