Schools eights title

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32561, 22 March 1971, Page 5

Schools eights title

The schoolboy head-of-the-river eight-oared rowing title was won in superb form by the. Christ’s College combination at Kerr’s Reach on Saturday. Conditions were almost ideal with a slight following wind and little chop as the three finalists faced the starter.

College No. I established an early lead over the field and rowed a powerful, effortless stroke over the 2000 yards to finish five lengths clear of College No. 2 and Shirley. A tussle for second place developed in the early stages of the race, but College, overrating Shirley by two points a minute, crossed the line half a length ahead. College covered the course in the creditable time of smin 53sec, and last week managed smin 51.3 sec in the heats. The crew stand a very good chance of causing a major upset at the Maadi Cup on April 2, and are considered highly among the favourites to take the title. Shirley, who also put up a good performance on Saturday and who are attending the cup, show much promise and their potential cannot be underestimated. The other glunour event of the d»y—the open fours—egain saw the Christ’s College crew take an early lead, allowing the Interest in the race to centre on the fight for the second place. CoUege No. 2 and Shirley exchanged the lead several times but it was Shirley who crossed second with a powerful burst over the final 200 metres. The closest race of the day was the consolation eights event in which the St Bede’s and St Andrew's crews rowed stroke for stroke over the course some four lengths behind the Christchurch Boys’ High School crew. Neither crew could exert superiority over the other, end the official mar-

gin at the finish was half a canvas—a matter of only a few feet—in favour of the St Bede's combination. The standard of schoolboy rowing is at a promising level at the moment in the city, and with three local crews attending the Maadi Cup, Christ’s College, Shirley Boys’ High, and St Bede’s, the name of Christchurch should make a favourable impression when crews from many of the country’s schools gather at Lake Karipiro on April 2. Results were:—

Senior eights: Christ’s College No. 1 (Macphee, Wilson, Lawrence, Mackenzie, Rutherford, Atkinson, Wellwood, Adams, Kernahan—cox) 1; Christ’s College No. 2; Shirley Boys’ High School 3. Five lengths, half a length. Junior A fours: St Bede’s College (Connelly, Hodgins, Thomas, Huggins, Gourdie—cox), 1; Shirley Boys’ High School 2; St Andrew’s College 3. One length and a half, two lengths. Consolation eights: Christchurch Boys’ High School (Riddle, Stanaway, Manning, Sbanka, Oldridge, Martin, Johnson, Platts, Platts—cox), 1; St Bede’s College, 2; St Andrew’s CoUege, 3. Four lengths, half a canvas. Junior B fours: St Bede’s College (Dougall, Johnston, Sheehan, WUliams. Bishel—cox), 1; Shirley Boys* High School, 2; St Andrew’s College, 3. Two lengths, six lengths. Intermediate eights: St Bede’s College (Carter, Clark, Crutchley, GaUen, Hennessey, Madden, Sherry, Sjoberg, Hobinson—cox), 1; Christ’s College, 2; Shirley Boys’ High School, 3. Four

lengths, half a length. Intermediate fours: Christ’s College (Norrison, Orne, Patterson, Cooke, Murphy—cox), 1; Christchurch Boys’ High School No. 2,2; Christchurch Boys’ High School No. 1, 3. Three lengths, distance. Open fours: Christ’s CoUege No. 1 (Macphee, Wilson, Lawrence, Mackenzie), 1; Shirley Boys’ High School, 2; Christ’s CoUege No. 2, 3. Three lengths, half a length.