Rowing EMPIRE GAMES TEAM

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28492, 23 January 1958, Page 4

Rowing EMPIRE GAMES TEAM

D. D. Rowlands Not To Defend Title

(New Zealand Press Associationl AUCKLAND, January 22. D. D. Rowlands, the champion sculler, will not attempt to secure the right to defend his Empire Games title at Cardiff , in July. He said today that he had givpn the matter a lot of thought before making up his mind. Rowlands won the title at Vancouver in 1954 and was then regarded as about the best sculler in the world. Although he finished second to S. Mackenzie (Australia) in the New Zealand championship at Lake Karapiro last year, Rowlands is officially the national champion. "I have given up the idea of representing New Zealand . again for several reasons," Rowlands said. “For one thing, quite apart from any personal considerations, I am disappointed that there has been no statement of policy by the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association on the question of representation at Cardiff. "No oarsman knows how many events will be contested by New Zealand crews, or whether any crews are to be* sent at all. This means that oarsmen have no incentive to improve their performances." Rowlands said that R. H. Parker, who also won a gold medal at the 1954 Games, was an example of an oarsman who did not know what to do. "Bob does not know whether to go in for single sculls or stick to the pair-oar," Rowlands said. "At this stage, with the Games only six months away, we ought surely to have some idea what the association Intends to do. Much the same thing applies with the four—if one is to be sent. Strictly speaking, the crew should be training now.”