Big Entry For Provincial Rowing Championships

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30366, 15 February 1964, Page 9

Big Entry For Provincial Rowing Championships

THE Canterbury provincial rowing championships, which will be held at Charteris Bay next Saturday, have attracted 117 entries from 14 clubs for the 14 events. Among the five North Island clubs competing is Waikato, New Zealand’s premier club, which has submitted 15 entries. The club has been beating West End in North Island regattas this season and its senior eight has been coming in second to the New Zealand squad. Certainly its crews will provide stiff opposition for the other clubs, which, with the national championships being held at Waihola only three days after, will be welcomed as the final sharpening of form. This is the first time the regatta has been known as the Canterbury provincial rowing championships. Formerly, it was the Christchurch regatta. Donation money has beer) increased to £2OO, The club winning the senior eights will carry off the highest donation, £32. A field of six will line up for this event: Avon, Petone, Star Boating Club (Wellington), Timaru, Union and Waikato. Waikato is expected to win. In the senior fours, Canterbury club 'has entered its successful crew. Timaru also has a good crew entered, while there are two crews from Waikato. With such strong competition a fast,, exciting race is predicted. Canterbury hopes are not high for successes in the senior singles or novice fours events. In the junior singles, F. Murray, of Avon, is expected to give other crews a good race. The junior doubles could well develop into a tussle between Canterbury and Avon. The latter crew won this race at the Wellington regatta, but lost to Canterbury last Saturday at Kerr’s Reach. Union won the youths’ fours at Wellington, but again Canterbury bested them at the last regatta, so a close, hard race is anticipated.

Union has two crews' entered in the senior doubles, but going on previous form, it is possible a crew from Blenheim will come first. The championships have also attracted seven entries

from the newly-formed Hutt Valley club. Competing clubs are: Star, Waikato, Hutt Valley, Petone, Wellington (all North Island clubs), Wairau Boating Club, Blenheim, Cure, Akaroa, Avon, Canterbury, Union, Timaru, and Picton.