Large Rowing Entries

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31587, 26 January 1968, Page 17

Large Rowing Entries

The poor weather at several open water regattas this season seems to have resulted in unusual interest in the Canterbury rowing championships at Kerr’s Reach tomorrow.

The Kerr’s Reach course is rowable in all weathers. Entries have been received from Timaru, Oarnaru, North End, Wellington, Star, Blenheim and Wairau clubs, and with all the local clubs competing some events have become overcrowded. The organising committee has been forced to restrict entries to nine in each event, eliminating second crews in the novice, maiden and junior fours classes. The field in the senior class is not.as varied as the others mainly because there are not many active senior oarsmen in Canterbury, but the powerful Union pair, J. Little and R. Sotherley, can be relied on to perform well in the senior pair-oar and double-scull events.

Last year’s champion, Wellington, is expected to win

both the senior fours and eights but strong opposition will come from the Star. North End and Oamaru crews. The former Canterbury oarsman, J. Hunter, who won international honours in both the eights and fours in the North American championships, will row with other New Zealand representatives, G. Shaw and P. Delaney, in both events. Both these Wellington crews are expected to gain national titles. No local club could find a maiden eight or light-weight four, but Christchurch is well represented in the junior doubles and maiden singles sculls. At least two heats will be rowed in every event except the senior eights. Heats will begin at 10 a.m. and the first final, the senior pairs, is timed for 2.30 p.m.