ROWING West End Beaten In N.Z. Eights Final

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28821, 16 February 1959, Page 3

ROWING West End Beaten In N.Z. Eights Final

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, February 15. Three new title-holders - emerged and two titles were successfully defended yesterday, the final day of the fourday New Zealand championship regatta at Lake Waihola. The greatest upset of the racing was the defeat of west End’s senior eight, which was defending a record of eight successive wins In this event. Wanganui Union, rowing in an aged Sims eight, gained the upper hand in the early stages after a re-start had been ordered, and held on to a slim lead, which it increased to half a length at the gim. Aramoho trailed the first two all the way, heading off North End, Otago and North Shore. Hamilton claimed the first three places in the championship single sculls. J. R. Hill, the reigning champion, an early leader, had to withstand an all-out bid by J. Worth, and won by a canvas. R. Andrews was in third place. V In the championship singles Hill maintained his reputation as being the fastest man away from the start, and in the first 100 yards

established a lead he never surrendered. Worth set out to chase Hill in earnest, and though to the spectators. Hill seemed to have sufficient margin to repulse the challenge, the judges gave Hill his title by only a canvas. The championship eights produced two majors upsets, West End was decisively beaten, and the 1958 runners-up, Otago, had to be con*tent with fifth place behind tire other local crew, North End. The starter had some difficulty in lining up the crews, but it was a good start. After 100 yards Union Inched ahead of West End. By the mile mark, West End was once again on even terms with Union, but with

a quarter of a mile to go Union put the issue beyond doubt with a .strong sprint. Only in the championship double sculls were there no defending champions, and this year Parker and Douglas, of Mercer, were expected to repeat their 1954 success. However, Hamilton’s crew—Worth and Andrews—sprinted to win by four feet. With a reputation for leading off the mark, Parker and Douglas were true to form and led by threeauarters of a length by the end of re first quarter. Inside the halfmile. Worth and Andrews wrested a slim two-feet lead and unddr pressure, Parker and Douglas lost form.

In the champion fours Wanganui Union from the three-quarter-mile mark began to improve its position to get within half a length of Hamilton, which had wrested the lead, but in the last quarter mile Otago, a strong and determined crew in the troublesome head seas, had sufficient stamina to make a bid for the lead, succeeded and. then held off all challenges. Southern hopes were strongest

when there were three Otago and Southland crews facing the starter in the champion pairs. Port Chal--1 mere and Riverton were fancied on their performances earlier in the week. Water conditions were not good, and the head- sea running largely contributed to the rather slow time, 9min Usee. Riverton began in a determined fashion, and held the Mercer pair, Parted and Douglas, from the start. Ryihm

Increased its lead to a length and a half, but Parker and Douglas did not allow them- to open up a bigger gap. Riverton could not match Mercer over the final 100 yards. Results:— Championship Events Pairs.—Mercer (R. H. Parker and R. A. Douglas) 1, Riverton 2, Queen’s Drive 3. One length: six lengths. Time, 9min 12sec. Fours.—Otago (A. McMillan, J. Werges, C. Hurring, R. Blaney, M. White, cox) 1; Union (Wanganui) 2; Oamaru 3. Half a length; half a length. Time, Bmin 21sec. Single Sculls.—J. R. Hill (Hamilton No. 1) 1; J. Worth (Hamilton No. 2) 2; R. Andrews (Hamilton No. 3) 3. A canvas; one length and a half. Time, 7min 58sec. Eights.—Union, Wanganui (D. L. Gem ell, P. D. Aitcheson, -E. A. Crotty. G. M. Moran, A. R. Tong, T. Dickie, D. McDonald, W. Chelley, R. Tuffin, cox) 1; West End 2; Aramoho 3. Half a length; length and a half. Time, 6min 47sec. Double Sculls.—Hamilton (J. Worth and R. Andrews) 1, Mercer 2, Waitemata) 3. Four feet; four lengths. Time, 7min 37sec. Junior Events Junior Fours.—Union, Wanganui (J. Brown, T. Dickie, P. McGuinness, B. Crysell). Half a length; a length Novice Fours.—Nelson (L. Smithson, B. Jurisich, F. Harding, P. Heath) and Hamilton (M. Jonson, R. Cawood, P. Storey, S. Byrne), equal, 1; Awarua 3. A length. Time, 6mln 13sec. Light-weight Fours.—North End (S. Broadley, N. Burrows, M. Farrant, A. Bridgman) 1; Wanganui 2; Invercargill 3. Two lengths; a canvas. Time, 6min 26sec. Junior Eights.—Union, Wanganui (J. Brown, P. Harwood, G. Carey. J. Palmer, K. Brown, P. McGuiness. B. Carey, B. Crysell) 1; Otago 2; Aramoho 3. Two lengths: half a length. Time, 7min Bsec. Maiden Fours.—Picton (B. Jones, H. Pawky, R. Henson, G. Neal) 1; North End 2; Riverton 3. Threequarters of a length; length. Time, 6min 19sec. Youths’ Eights.—Aramoho (K. Rasmussen, G. Cicker, M. Thomson, D. Mclnness, M. Taylor, S. Whibley, S. Laird, B. Fothergill) 1; Port Chalmers 2; Otago 3. One-third of a length; length and a half. Time. smin 55sec.

Maiden Eights.—West End (C. Cordes, C. Paris,. B. Cantell, P. Donaldson, J. Olsen, K. Holt, G. Ashcroft, B. Bird) 1; Avon 2; Canterbury 3. Four lengths; length. Time. Smin Isec. Open Singles Sculls.—J. R. Hill (Hamilton) 1; o. Smith (Port Chalmers) 2; R. Hadfield (Avon) 3. Four lengths; half a length. Novice Pairs.—Oamaru (T. Hayes and J. Smedley) 1; Avon 2; Aramoho 3. Four lengths; two lengths. Walhola Plate, of one mile and a quarter.—Hamilton (J. Hill, J. Worth, R. Billings, R. Andrews) 1; Otago 2; Wanganui 3. Half a length; two feet. When the coxswains were required to weigh in after the race, the Hamilton cox could not weigh in at the f required weight, and they had to forfeit the race to Otago, and Riverwere fourth, were placed