ROWING SUCCESSFUL REVIVAL OF AKAROA REGATTA

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29071, 7 December 1959, Page 15

ROWING SUCCESSFUL REVIVAL OF AKAROA REGATTA

In spite o£ frequent showers which spoilt the day for spectators, the rowing regatta at Akaroa on Saturday proved most successful. The great majority of oarsmen from the Avon, Canterbury. Cure and Union Rowing Clubs which entered crews had not previously rowed there, and all were unanimous in their praise of the course and the facilities available.

Heavy fog about the Hilltop delayed the club buses and the first race was half an hour late in starting, but the 11 races rowed over a three-quarter mile course from Green Point to the wharf were finally run off to the scheduled time. Water conditions were excellent throughout the day. Much of the interest in the first race, the open single sculls, was lost when E. Akins (Union) withdrew. A new Best and Best single scull has been ordered by the Union club for Akins but was not delivered in time for him to compete. As a result B. Reid (Avon) won the race by four lengths from his club-mate P. F. Keegan. Reid showed great promise last season and his form on Saturday suggests that he will bring even higher honours to his club. There was little to separate the remaining five scullers in the race. Keegan nearly lost the second placing to Knight by stopping before he had crossed the finishing line. The other main race of the day, the open fours, resulted in a narrow win for Canterbury No. 1 from Union No. 1. Both clubs have produced new crews in this class and a close tussle was expected. Canterbury gained an early advantage and soon was two lengths, in the lead, but could not hold its form in the latter part of the race. Union’s experienced stroke. N. M. West, was quick to capitalise on the lapse and nearly overhauled Canterbury. Both crews will have to show considerable improvement before the major regattas later in the season if they are to succeed against the strong North Island combinations reported to be in training. A number of crews in the minor races showed particular promise, particularly Canterbury’s No. 1 maiden pair (D. R. Rastrick and R. D. Truscott). This crew also won the restricted class double sculls — junior double sculls (R. L. Musgrove and K. H. Bell), the Cure

club’s maiden single sculler (D. Huria) and light-weight four (G. Hullen, B. Cowan, M. Woodgate, L. Orchard), Union's novice four (M Manhire, D. Barnard, K. Good, J. Little), and Avon's maiden four (J. Wylie, W. Inns, R. Quartley, W. Rushworth).

At the end of the regatta the president of the Akaroa Boating Club (Mr T. E. Armstrong) presented the Thacker Shield to the winner of the open single sculls'. B. Reid, and said that he was particularly pleased to present it to an oarsman who had been born and brought up in the town. Reid’s father, D. Reid, was a well-known senior and representatvie oarsman for the Akaroa club before the war. Results were:—

Open Single Sculls.—Avon No. 1 (B. Reid) 1, Avon No. 2 (P. F. Keegan) 2, Union No. 3 (B. G. Knight) 3. Four lengths; half length. Maiden Pairs.—Canterbury No. 1 (D. R. Rastrick and R. D. Truscott) 1, Canterbury No. 22, Union 3. Four lengths; canvas. Novice Fours.—Union (M. Manhire, D. Barnard. K. Good. J. Little) 1. Avon No. 22, Avon No. 1 3. Two lengths; half length. Open Pairs.—Canterbury No. 1 (M. C. Corsbie and E. J. Martin) 1, Canterbury No. 22, Cure 3.. One length; half length. Restricted Class Fours.—Canterbury No. 3 (N. Smith, J. A. Hunter. J. Dearsley, D. C. Holden) 1, Cure 2. Union 3. Four feet; three lengths. Maiden Single Sculls.—Cure (D. Huria) 1, Avon No. 1 (J. Wylie) 2, Union No. 1 (A. Davies) 3. Two lengths; two lengths. Open Fours.—Canterbury No. 1 (M. C. Corsbie, B. P. Aitchison. M. S. R. Smith, E. J. Martin) 1, Union No. 1 2, Union No. 2 3. Half length; two lengths. Restricted Class Double Sculls.— Canterbury No. 2 (D. R. Rastrick and R. D. Truscott) 1, Cure No. 1 2. Avon 3. Three feet; distance. Maiden Fours.—Avon (J. Wylie. W. Inns. R. Quartley, W. Rushworth) 1. Canterbury No. 22, Canterbury No. 4 3. Two and a half lengths; one length. Junior Double Sculls.—Canterbury (R. L. Musgrove and K. H. Bell) 1. Union 2, Cure 3. One and a half lengths; four feet. Handicap Single Sculls.—Avon No. 1 (B. Reid) 1. Avon No. 2 (P. K. Keegan) 2, Union No. 2 (N. M. West) 3. Half a length; two lengths.