ROWING VERY LARGE ENTRIES AT PICTON REGATTA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29403, 4 January 1961, Page 8

ROWING VERY LARGE ENTRIES AT PICTON REGATTA

Conditions were unusually favourable for the annual Picton Regatta held on the harbour on Monday. Bright sunshine and a light northerly breeze combined to produce almost ideal overhead and water conditions. A big entry of 131 crews was received for the 14 races on the programme from 15 clubs as far apart as Auckland and Dunedin. A very high standard of racing was seen by several thousand spectators.

The most successful «lub at the regatta was the Wairoa Rowing Club from Hawke’s Bay which gained three first places and a third place with only four entries. This club's senior pair also pro. duced the biggest surprise of the day when it beat the strong favourite, Otago, convincingly. The senior fours race also produced an unexpected result when the little-fancied Union club’s crew rowed away from a strong field which included the wellknown No. 1 crews of the Star, Wairau, Picton and Canterbury clubs.

After the succession of victories lasting some years the Blenheim veteran. L. Saul, had to concede the senior single sculls to the Avon sculler, B. Reid. Reid handled the conditions, which were somewhat difficult at that time of the day, very well and did not appear to be in danger of defeat at any stage of the race. The senior double sculls went to the Otago combination of M. and G. Lawrence, which finished much more strongly than the other leaders during the race, Wellington and Canterbury. The last race of the day and the most popular event on the programme, the senior eights was

marred when all the crews were upset early by a launch wash. The umpire allowed the race to continue and Star won comfortably from Picton with Wairau third.

Results:— Lightweight Fours—Pieton (V Chandler, L Gilchrist. K. Myles. G. McCosh) 1, Union 2. Avon 3. Distance: U lengths, 1 length. Junior Pairs.—Petone (N. McLeod, K. Thomson) 1, Picton 2. Avon 3. Distance: 2 lengths. ♦ lengths. Novice Fours—Wairoa No. 2 (D. Jaba, D. Winter. A. Madden. A Baker) 1, Cure No. 1 2. Petone No. 2 3. Distance: 1J lengths. 1 length. Senior Single Sculls.—Avon No. I <B. Reid) 1, Blenheim 2. Wellington X Distance: 2 lengths. 1 length. Maiden Fours.—Wairoa No. 1 (H. Callaghan, M. Burridge, L. Dovle. M. Helean) 1, Wellington No. 1 2. Prtone 3. Distance: 2 lengths. 2

Senior Pairs—Wairoa (G. Leslie. G. Hacche) 1. Otago 2. Petone 3. Distance: j length. Youths Fours—Canterbury (A Dearsley. J. Hunter. N. Smith. D Holden) 1, Wellington 2. Star 3. Distance: 1 length.

Senior Fours.—Union (E. Akins, J Richards, B. Fraser. T. Thelning) I Picton 2. Star No. 3 3. Distance: 11 lengths, canvas. Maiden Pairs.—Picton (J. Fredericks. L. Gledhill) 1. Wellington 2. Wairoa 3. Senior Double Sculls.—Otago (M Lawrence. G. Lawrence) l. WelUngton 2, Canterbury 3. Distance: 1 length. 3 lengths. Junior Fours—Petone (R. Harris. G. Benge. R. Marshall. P. Abbott) 1, Picton 2, Avon 3. Distance: a distance, 1 length. Maiden Eights—Canterbury (R Truscott, J. Nicholls. N. Smith, J. Hunter. B. Neill, N. Morrison. D Holden. C. Amodeo) 1. Star 2. Petone 3. Distance: a canvas, 1 length. Maiden Double Sculls—Blenheim ID. Gardiner, P. Rush) 1. Canterbury 2. Otago 3. Distance: 2 lengths. 2 lengths. Senior Eights.—Star (W. Dent. D. Cameron. W. Armstrong. J. Johnson. F. Borrett. C. McMahon. A. Brown. P. McFarlane) 1, Picton 3, Wairau 3.