Auckland Four Gains N.Z.'s First Title At Henley

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30177, 8 July 1963, Page 12

Auckland Four Gains N.Z. ' s First Title At Henley

(Special Representative, N.Z.P.A.) HENLEY, July 7. The Auckland Rowing Club made history in England on Saturday by winning New Zealand’s first title in the Henley Royal Regatta. Their red and black striped jerseys showed up brilliantly six lengths ahead of the red. white and black of Thames Rowing Club at the finish of the final of the Prince Philip Challenge Cup.

Except for a few yards at the start, Auckland led all the way and gradually increased its lead, reducing the stroking rate from 43 to 36.

Auckland’s time was 7min 32sec, five seconds slower than when the four beat Nereus, of Amsterdam, which was the toughest of their three races.

Steady rain fell from a sky resembling a pall of dirty grey smoke, but there was no wind and water conditions were bland. The Aucklanders certainly’ impressed keen judges of rowing at Henley by both their performance and fitness. After A. G. Dryden, D. G. Boswell, P. H. Masfen, and D. Storey had thrown their cox, R. Page, in the Thames from a pontoon, they were all smiles. Olympic Hopes “Now we have put up our sights for the Olympic Games at Tokyo.” they said. “We will certainly go flat out to get there." The Prince Philip Cup went much as was anticipated. The New Zealanders felt that if they could head off Nereus. the trophy should be theirs. They were undoubtedly the best two crews entered, although the Nottingham and Union four, who had won six regattas this year, were fancied.

But they met Auckland in the semi-final in a head wind, and the Aucklanders, well used to those conditions and with their weight averaging 13st 81b. had a big advantage Auckland was able to drop the stroking to 25 at one stage and still keep well ahead. The New Zealanders leave London tomorrow for Paris, Berlin, Venice, Rome, Hong

Kong, and Sydney, and are due home with their two sets of medals, from Marlow and Henley, on July 21. Regatta Upset

A major upset was the defeat by London University of the American eight. Cornel) University, who had been regarded as the fastest in the world. London, winners by three-quarters of a length, took the Grand Challenge Cup, the premier award of the four-day regatta. Eights from Melbourne and Sydney were defeated in the heats. Mackenzie Wins Six times Diamond Sculls winner. Stuart Mackenzie, of Australia, won a new honour. With another veteran oarsman, C. G. Davidge, of Britain, he took the Silver Goblets for the paired-oars event. Mackenzie did not compete in the sculls.

The regatta was the wettest in living memory. It was cold, wet and windy throughout, and women’s fashions, a traditional feature of the annual fixture, fought a losing battle against heavy shower* and ankle-deep mud. Men had to pull on gumboot* over their white flannels. Results of finals were:—

Diamond Scull*.—G. Kottman (Switzerland) beat W. L. Barry (England). ML *m!n 9sec Visitor* Cup (tours)—Christ’* College. Cambridge, beat Pembroke College. Cambridge, J length. 7min 32sec Silver Goblets (paired oars).— C. G. Dividge I Britain > and S. A. MacKenzie (Australia) beat J T Amlong and T. K Amlong (United States). 4 lengths 7min 55sec. Prince Philip Cup (coxed fours).—Auckland (New Zealand) beat Thames (Britain), easily 7min Msec

Grand Challenge Cup (eights).—London University

beat Cornell University (United States), i length. Omln 3®see Double Sculls—M Alwin and W Vander Togt (Netherlands) beat B. Monnereau and H Duhamel (France). 2 7min 30sec.

Thames Challenge Cup (eights).—Queen's College Cambridge. beat Argosies, 2 2-3 lengths. 6min 53sec

Wyfold Cup (fours).—Nottingham and Union (Britain) beat Derby (Britain), 2 1-3 lengths, 7min 24sec