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Canterbury Wins Rowing Honours

Secondary schools’ eights would have stood little chance in this year’s eights race for Head of the River rowing honours at Kerr’s Reach on Saturday. Canterbury and Union gave magnificent performances to finish first and second respectively.

Only two members of the Canterbury crew—T. Smith and J. Radford—were not of senior status, and they were well up to the standard of the rest of the crew. This reflects no discredit on such proven oarsmen as the Olytppic representatives, T. Just and M. Brownlee. The middle of the Union eight is formidable; the bow four, however, are not as experienced in eights, and J. Ramsay, who has only recently had a leg out of plaster, must have found the pace hard. At the start the Union crew, putting in nearly 42 strokes a minute, leapt into the lead. Canterbury, half a length behind, was striking a solid 38, and even at this stage the difference in style was remarkable. Union nut all their effort into their entry, rowed short and recovered fast. Canterbury had better slide control and

their recovery was in some cases a little sluggish, but the oars accelerated visibly through the water. In spite of the difference in rating (over most of the course, Union 37 to Canterbury’s 34), the length of stroke told, and as they entered the first bend Canterbury was pulling level. Round this long bend Canterbury gained about a foot every stroke to come out almost a length ahead. Between the bends the strain of maintaining their rate showed in the Union bow four, but they hung on grimly, and with a spurt to 38, Union managed to win back a quarter of a length. Then Canterbury began to apply pressure. The rate crept up only slightly but the crew was perfectly together, swinging easily, and getting a lot of run out of their boat. Lack of slide control robbed Union of punch at the entry and, in spite of a tussle in the final straight, they lost by one length. Avon, rowing in a borrowed boat and with at least one novice oarsman, was outclassed, although in recent years a crew of their power and determination would have had a fair chance. Novice Fours Four crews started in the novice fours race, but it developed into a duel between a long and slow-stroking Union crew, and a ragged but very determined Avon. There was never more than a length between them and though Union led most of the way, two very plucky spurts by Avon unsettled them and almost robbed them of victory. Union won by a canvas.

The Canterbury eights crew was: L. Lonas (stroke), T. Just (7), M. Brownlee (6), G. Robinson (5), T. Smith (4), G. Pickerin (3), G. Pettigrew (2), J. Radford (bow).

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19681216.2.153

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 19

Word Count
468

Canterbury Wins Rowing Honours Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 19

Canterbury Wins Rowing Honours Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 19